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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27445171">The Light Over the Water</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Devairkus/pseuds/Devairkus'>Devairkus</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Last of Us (Video Games)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, At least I'm trying to have a plot and storyline with it, Awkward Conversations, Blood and Violence, Canon-Typical Violence, Eventual Romance, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Near Death, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, POV Alternating, Plot, Sex, Sexual Tension, Smut</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-07 02:41:55</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>63,507</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27445171</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Devairkus/pseuds/Devairkus</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Fate ends up going a different way on the third day in Seattle, which leads to a standoff between Abby's group and Ellie's crew. After having the chance to talk things out, will the two be able to let their wrongdoings go, and will Abby be able to find peace with the Fireflies with her people behind her?</p><p>Multiple POV (Abby/Owen/Lev/Yara) story. Post-Game AU.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Abby &amp; Lev (The Last of Us), Abby &amp; Yara (The Last of Us), Abby/Owen (The Last of Us), Lev &amp; Owen (The Last of Us), Lev &amp; Yara (The Last of Us), Owen &amp; Yara (The Last of Us)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>64</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>75</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Seattle Day 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Trying something a little different with this one. I've only really had one fic that I've done with multiple chapters which was kind of hard to write at the time. But, I think I'm a little more practiced now and this was a story I really wanted to create, so hopefully I can keep with it until the end and have it all be cohesive. :)</p><p>Also enjoy the graphics, I like to be extra and I thought they could be an enhancement to the story.</p><p>Update: I’ve reread my whole story and fixed many typos and unnecessary commas so hopefully it is a better overall read!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  
</p><p>The sea air was brisk that night as the four huddled together on the small boat, sailing away from the Scar’s island. They were very lucky that all four of them made it, Owen had thought. He, Abby, Lev, and Yara were tired, spooked, and somewhat worse for wear than when they left, but they all still drew breath. </p><p>There had been more than a few close calls there, and Owen’s cheek and chest were still stinging from the last one. When they tried to escape the burning island, a huge Scar with a two-handed hammer had blocked their way back to the boat. That Scar had decked Owen in the face and knocked the wind out of him, but Abby being the warrior she was finished the brute off. After that they managed to escape the island. The only one who they didn't return with was Lev and Yara’s mother, who was whom Lev had first run away to try and save. Owen gingerly rubbed his side where the Scar had hit him. He hoped he hadn’t broken a rib.</p><p>“You okay?” Abby asked him, noticing. </p><p>Owen nodded. “I’ll live.”</p><p>“Everyone’s okay, right?” She asked the other two. Yara was a bit banged up and still in pain from her recent amputation but she nodded, as did Lev. Abby had some scrapes but was mostly unharmed. She really was a soldier, but Owen was still glad he went with them. He wasn't sure that both Yara and Lev would have made it if he hadn’t. It had gotten really crazy out there, and Yara especially he’d been worried about given the fact she only had one arm now. The situation on the island only got so much worse after they found Lev, and ran into their old WLF comrades.</p><p> </p><p>“So you two have joined the fight, have you?” said Isaac to them when he and his WLF soldiers had found the four. Owen’s blood had ran cold, he had shot Danny just days prior and was now deemed a traitor to the WLF. Not only that, he and Abby were protecting two Scars, the WLF sworn enemies. This couldn’t end well.</p><p>“Isaac…” Abby looked like she was maybe going to come up with some excuse, but glancing back at them she knew there wasn’t one that didn’t involve her turning over Lev and Yara. </p><p>“Abby, I’m disappointed,” said Isaac. “I told you Owen was a sympathizer and a traitor and look what’s happened. He’s gotten you to side with Scars! I’ve been telling you for years how he influences you away from your goals, and now look where he’s got you. This is madness.”</p><p>Anger tore through Owen. “You’ve been <em> what?” </em>he’d blurted out. A number of the soldiers pointed their guns at him instead of Yara and Lev, who were hiding behind them.</p><p>Abby shook her head and spit back at Isaac, “Owen didn’t make me do anything. These are just kids and helping them is the right thing to do.”</p><p>“They’re Scars!” Boomed Isaac.</p><p>What happened next was a blur, Yara had been moving to the side discreetly, and in a quick movement, used her pistol and shot at Isaac. There was chaos as they all ducked, shot at the remaining soldiers, and scrambled to get away. </p><p>They then had to escape the remaining WLF soldiers, killing those that got in their way. It was fucked up to have to do, Owen had known some of them. He was a traitor now though, and it was kill or be killed.</p><p> </p><p>The Aquarium’s dock came into view now over the water. They’d left Mel and Alice there, safe away from the fight. Owen had gotten into a brief argument with Mel before he left, away from Abby and Yara. He had insisted to Mel that he had to go with them, in his gut he knew he needed to. He wasn't going to be swayed to not go by anyone, not her or Abby. Mel had said then <em> “What about me? What about your child?” </em>He’d avoided her questions, just saying he had to do this and he’d be back. Owen knew that Mel could tell something was off. </p><p>That Mel could tell he still loved <em> her </em>.</p><p>But Mel didn’t say that to him, instead she had just hissed a <em> fuck you </em>, and then Owen had left. </p><p>It seemed quiet when they docked. He assumed Mel was still going to be in the Aquarium, but maybe she had gone back to the base already, not even waiting to see if they’d survived. Owen didn’t know which he hoped was true. He knew he should apologize for leaving her, he’d been cruel. The fairytale part of him still wanted all of them to go to Santa Barbara together, even if Mel and Abby didn’t want to go there if the other was coming.</p><p>“Is Mel still here?” asked Abby. </p><p>“I don’t know, she might have left,” replied Owen.</p><p>“Why would she leave? You’re going to Santa Barbara together.” </p><p><em>That hurt.</em> She was saying to pick Mel over her, but he’d already failed at that. Owen gave Abby a look but didn’t respond. As they moved through the building, Owen could swear he heard the murmuring of a voice. Something felt off though. Owen reached for the double doors with a crab painted on them that led to the lobby. He was about to call out for Mel, when something hard hit him in the head, and suddenly he was on the ground.</p><p>“Doesn’t feel great, does it?” hissed a gruff voice. Owen felt himself being pulled to the side by someone. His eyesight blurred and his head spun as he tried to make sense of the voices and people in the room.</p><p>“Put it down! Put it down! I’ll shoot him!” The man had knelt behind him and put Owen in a headlock, his gun to Owen’s skull. He spotted Mel tied to a chair at the information desk, another man with dark hair was standing next to her, his gun aimed at Abby and the kids. Lev had out his bow and Yara and Abby their pistols. Abby’s eyes darted to Owen and his captor and flashed in outrage. She glanced to the last figure in the room, a skinny young woman with a tattoo on her arm. Owen recognized her. It was the girl from Jackson. They all were from Jackson. <em> Fuck. </em></p><p>Abby knew it too. They all had their weapons pointed at each other in a standoff. She spoke, “Our quarrel wasn’t with you. It was only with <em> him </em>. We let you two live. Yet you come hunt us down to kill us all off as payback anyway. Is that it?”</p><p>“We mostly just came to kill you,” said the girl.</p><p>“Really? Because <em> he </em> killed Manny in front of me,” cried Abby, gesturing towards the man holding him. <em> Fuck, Manny was dead? When? </em>He and Yara had run up on Abby struggling against someone at the marina, but Owen didn't get a good look before she'd tossed him over the dock. It must have been this man.</p><p>“Did he?” The girl looked over to where the man, <em>Tommy</em>, he remembered, was holding Owen to the ground.</p><p>“Your fuckin’ people are so hostile I had to shoot on sight. I would have put one between your eyes too if you’d have stood still,” threatened Tommy. Abby snarled at him.</p><p>The girl shifted her weight, clearly agitated. Angry. “So your little group isn’t doing so hot. Tommy also killed your friend Nick. Then I stabbed Jordan in the neck, Leah was already dead… then I killed Nora. But not before I beat out of her where to find you.”</p><p>Owen was filled with such rage he could have push out of Tommy’s grip if he tried. But everyone was pointing guns at each other, he could just as easy end up with a bullet in him. This Jackson group had just picked them off one by one and they were next. But did they have any other choice besides surrender? Yara and Lev were vulnerable as well, and he had a gun to his head.</p><p>Abby’s pistol was shaking from her anger. Owen knew she wanted to just squeeze the life out of all of them for what they’d done to their friends. Maybe their quarrel hadn’t been with them before, but they had made it theirs now by coming here to hunt them all down. </p><p>“Beat Nora to death, huh? You gonna do that to us too?” she challenged.</p><p>The girl looked cold, she glanced around at them. “If those kids put down their weapons they can leave. Mel can go too because she’s pregnant and she so willingly told us everything we wanted to know.”</p><p><em>What? Mel wouldn’t.</em> Had Mel told the trespassers they were going to the Scar’s island? That they were coming back to here? Owen looked at her for answers but she avoided his gaze.</p><p>Abby stood there for a moment thinking, their standoff still on going. </p><p>“Eight lives for one then, huh? What about the hundreds he took? The dozens of Fireflies he slaughtered?”</p><p>Tommy’s arm tensed on him. Owen looked around, the other man there with the dark hair looked extremely confused. The girl just stared back, and her reaction made Owen realize it. This was the immune girl. This was who could have saved the world, but then she couldn’t because Joel had been so selfish.</p><p>Owen let out a laugh. “Wow. It’s you, huh?” Tommy shifted and aggressively readjusted the gun on his head.</p><p>The girl looked uncomfortable, looking around the room. Did she not tell her companions the reason behind all this? The younger man from Jackson certainly seemed lost. “What’s he talking about?” he had murmured to her as she looked more and more agitated.</p><p>At last she spoke up. “I want the kids to put down their weapons and tied up. I want him tied up- and I want everyone to lay down their arms and me and Abby talk alone.” </p><p>Talk? Not fight? Maybe it made sense, but she also had a gun pointed right at Abby, she could just shoot her. Maybe that was too quick for her. But if there really  was a solution here where none of them, especially not Abby, was going to get hurt, Owen was open to it. Owen could tell Tommy was not happy about this though, he knew Tommy wanted to hurt Abby badly for what she did to his brother.</p><p>“Ellie what the fuck are you talking about, let’s just ki-”</p><p>“I said I want to talk to her! Alone.” Ellie glanced to the desk where Mel was being held. “Tie him up there and let Mel go once they’re secured. Mel held up her end of the bargain. Just first the kids and Abby put your weapons down and for now, no one gets hurt.”</p><p>Abby shifted, she must have known that she had to do as ordered or they’d shoot and there would be blood. At least here there was a chance for them all to maybe get out alive.</p><p>“Fine. Deal.” Abby looked over her shoulder. “Yara. Lev. Put your weapons down and do what they say.”</p><p>Owen looked at them, halfway in the shadows behind Abby. Those kids really had no idea what was going on and who these people were, they should never have even been dragged into this mess. This horrible mess that’s gotten so many people killed.</p><p>Yara and Lev looked at each other and hesitantly put down their weapon to the ground, Abby still pointed hers at Ellie. </p><p>“Jesse, tie their hands up and sit them over there”, Ellie gestured towards the seal statue on the other side of the lobby. Jesse approached Lev and Yara with rope, gun still drawn cautiously at them, and he kicked their weapons away. Lev allowed his hands to be tied behind his back without a fight. Jesse stopped in his tracks when it came to Yara though. </p><p>“Um, Ellie? She doesn’t, um...” </p><p>Tommy was getting impatient. “Doesn’t what, Jesse?”</p><p>“She only has one arm.”</p><p>Ellie looked baffled at that. Tommy scoffed. Owen couldn’t help but let out a laugh at the absurdity of it all. “Yeah, tie up the four foot kid and his one armed sister who have nothing to do with this.”</p><p>“Shut up,” growled Tommy, tightening his arm.</p><p>“Well if none of you do anything stupid, they don’t have to get hurt!” declared Ellie. “Just get them over there and tie the arm she has to the railing.”</p><p>Abby watched intently as Jesse walked the Scars over to the seal sculpture and knotted them both to the railing with the rope.</p><p>“They’re secure,” said Jesse.</p><p>“Okay.” said Ellie, she gestured to him and Tommy. “Get him in the other chair now.” Owen looked at Abby. As they were moving he knew he could get the upperhand on Tommy. He was bigger, stronger. But Abby was so far from Ellie, Ellie could likely shoot one of them. Was he really gonna put faith in this conversation Ellie requested? Owen wasn’t sure Tommy or even Ellie for that matter would leave here without having Abby’s blood. </p><p>Abby gave him an affirmative nod to obey. She was going to do it then. He had to trust Abby, but he was scared. When he met her gaze, Owen saw the glint of fear in her eyes, too.</p><p>Tommy loosened his arm and nudged Owen, Owen got up and headed to the chair without resistance. He avoided looking at Mel though. Owen held still as Tommy tied his wrists to the chair arms. Damn, he thought, he should have hid that rope they were using somewhere better.</p><p>“Okay,” said Ellie, surveying the scene. Jesse was on Yara and Lev who were tied to the railing, Tommy was by the restrained Owen and Mel. It was just Ellie and Abby now. “I’m gonna lower my gun and put it down, you’re gonna drop all of yours. We’re gonna go in the room there and talk, fifteen feet apart. There’s some things I want to discuss.”</p><p>“Yes, there’s things I think we should talk about, too,” said Abby. She ever so slowly lowered her gun, and Ellie did the same. Off came her backpack as well. </p><p>“You try anything in there to her, we hear any trouble and we’re coming in there. Then we’re gonna make you watch as we do even worse to him-” Tommy gestured at Owen, “as you did to Joel.”</p><p>Ellie looked uncomfortable at Tommy’s words. Maybe she was remembering that day it happened. It had ended up so much more fucked up then Owen thought it would. They didn’t even think Joel would be there, and he ended up walking right into them. Then Abby had to torture him. It made Owen sick to watch, when she just let that rage control her. He should have cut her off sooner. </p><p>Then, maybe Ellie wouldn’t have had to have seen. They had done that in front of her. Joel had obviously meant a lot to her, of course she was angry.</p><p>They had done it for a reason, but had it been worth it? How much more pain had to be on each side for it to be even?</p><p>Ellie took some steps to the side and gave her lowered gun to Tommy. “We’re gonna talk in that room,” she pointed behind her to the ticket offices. “Civilized. We’re going from there.” </p><p>Abby glanced at him and Mel, tied in their chairs. </p><p>“Yeah. Let’s go,” she replied, walking in there after Ellie, unarmed. Owen felt a lump in his throat. Abby could definitely take this girl one on one, but he didn’t trust Ellie at all, and this could easily end with his and Abby brains all over his aquarium. His thoughts were interrupted by Tommy moving to the chair next to him, taking out a knife and cutting Mel out of her binds. </p><p>Owen had almost forgotten she was even there, she’d been so silent. Maybe she was feeling guilty about talking.</p><p>“How could you tell them where we went?” Owen demanded.</p><p>Mel glared at him. “I figured you all weren’t going to make it back anyway, and if you didn’t die on the island from the Scars or the WLF, who you betrayed, what’s three trespassers coming after you as well? Besides, they only wanted Abby.”</p><p>Mel was free to go now, but Owen wasn’t done talking to her. “So you just gave her up, like that? After everything?”</p><p>Mel had on an expression of disgust, “She’s a terrible person, Owen. A poison. Just look at what she did to you for years. I was trying to help you but you let her suck you back in.” Mel shifted her weight and glanced at the room Abby and Ellie had went into. “That girl in there is going to kill her, and good riddance.”  </p><p>Owen stared at Mel, taken aback. He knew he hadn’t treated Mel well enough and she had a right to be angry, but she was wrong about Abby. </p><p>“You don’t know Abby if you think that. Abby isn’t like that. I know Lev and Yara see that too.” Owen nodded over to the two Scars. They were watching them. As was Jesse and Tommy. Tommy had scoffed at what Owen had said about Abby, but Owen ignored him.</p><p>Mel made a face and shook her head. She cradled her stomach with her hand, and then really it hit Owen that he would never get to see his child. “No. You’re blinded by her. But you’ll see, and it’ll hurt. Good luck getting to where you’re going because it’s not with me. You obviously didn’t want that anyway.” Mel turned to Tommy, “Can I get my dog out from the closet? I’d like to go now.”</p><p>“Yeah, go ahead,” allowed Tommy, and Owen watched numbly as Mel disappeared down the hall and came back a minute later with a whining Alice pulling on a leash. Alice looked highly confused at the assortment of people, but Mel commanded her to not attack. On her way back out, Mel briefly stopped by Yara and Lev and Owen could hear her say “Good luck,” to them. Then without a final glance at him she left the aquarium, supposedly headed back to the WLF’s stadium. Mel didn’t even know the mess the WLF was going to be after the failed attack on the Scars. They hadn't gotten the chance to tell her the chaos they’d ran into on the island. Owen just felt numb from that. He was too preoccupied with the notion that it was very possible that he and Abby would be dead very soon, depending on where ever this Jackson crew swayed. Tommy and Jesse were silent, pacing and keeping watch, they all could hear the murmuring sound of the girls’ conversation. It seemed almost too optimistic a thought to entertain that they wouldn’t kill Abby, or kill him in front of Abby, or both. They must want more revenge.</p><p>There was nothing to be done now, it was up to Ellie and Abby. He had nothing to say to Tommy or Jesse, so Owen waited for his fate to come. As the time ticked he began to focusing even less about himself and solely Abby. She could be dead in that room right now, and if she wasn’t, Tommy seemed like he’d happily kill her himself. If that happened, Owen thought, maybe he’d ask them to kill him too. </p><p>Ten, fifteen minutes had gone by. Tommy had shouted to the room a few times to see if Ellie was okay, and each time Ellie had increasingly aggressively shouted back, “Yes.”</p><p>Then the door opened, and both women walked out. They looked exhausted. Haunted. </p><p>“We should head back. We’re done,” said Ellie. </p><p>Tommy’s voice was concerned but not angry, “Ellie, what the fuck are you on about?” Jesse came over as well.</p><p>“Nothing good has come of this. We came to an understanding,” replied Ellie, glancing at Abby, who stood some feet away. “<em> We </em> have someone we need to get back to, who needs to go back more than us, and that’s what my priority is now.”</p><p>“Ellie, Dina can wait,” protested Tommy in a hushed voice, “Meanwhile, this bitch is right here. The person who killed Joel is right here and we can make her pay. It would be so easy.”</p><p>Ellie stared down Tommy, tears in her eyes. “I know. But it doesn’t mean we should.” She looked away and balled her fists. They stood there for a moment.</p><p>Jesse eventually spoke, “I think we should go back too. Because of Dina. I don’t know about this whole situation, but I think that was your decision and you’ve made it.”</p><p>Owen looked at Abby, she had been inching herself closer to Lev and Yara. From her somber expression though, she didn’t look like she wanted to try anything, she just seemed like she wanted to protect them.</p><p>Tommy turned and looked at them all. He spat. “I think you’ll regret it, Ellie. Letting her get away with it.” Ellie didn’t respond and instead moved away, picking up her guns and backpack. </p><p>“Let’s just go. We’re done,” she said again, and with hesitation her two companions picked up their belongings as well. They seemed to actually be going. Owen held his breath watching until all three figures disappeared through the hall in which they came. </p><p>As soon as they left, Abby rushed to Lev and Yara, untying them. “Are you two okay?” She asked them. They affirmed a yes back to her. “I’m sorry you both got caught up in this.” She told them, in a low voice. When both were free, Lev wrapped his arms around Abby in an embrace, and Yara put an arm around her as well. It was a beautiful moment, Owen thought. They all looked good together.</p><p>They let go and Abby glanced at Owen. “Can you two do me a favor and check outside and make sure they’ve left while I untie Owen?” </p><p>“Yeah, we can do that, Abby,” said Lev, and they scrambled up, picking up their weapons on the way out the door.</p><p>Abby approached him and she undid the knots that tied his arms to the chair.</p><p>“I didn’t think we were gonna make it out alive,” he told her.</p><p>“You didn’t have faith in me?” she said quietly.</p><p>“Of course I have faith in you. More than anything. I thought you were gonna snap that girl’s neck and then Tommy would shoot me.”</p><p>Abby smirked when he said that, then backed away after he’d been freed. She got up and paced around the lobby of the aquarium and exhaled deeply, hands clasped behind her head. Owen watched her.</p><p>“I always really liked coming here,” she said at last.</p><p>“I liked when you came here too. Made it more homey,” he replied.</p><p>For a minute Abby didn’t say anything more, then she turned to him and he could tell in her eyes that she was back to that night four years ago. The pain was hitting her again. They must have talked about it in there and she’d fought hard to keep it together, but now she just couldn’t anymore. At least it was over, and hopefully this had been settled for good.</p><p>Owen moved towards her, she was illuminated from the behind from the lamp in the semi-dark aquarium, he could see her wet eyes shining. </p><p>“Hey... Abby. Come here.” Owen gently pulled her into an embrace she immediately sank into. He felt her knees buckle and he gripped her to keep her from falling and they sank to their knees. Owen could feel her soft cries shake her body and he held her tight, like he had those years ago, when she’d seen her father dead on the ground. He’d wanted everything in his power for her to not see that. But she had, and it consumed her. </p><p>Owen just held her close in his arms. Those years were painful for him too, it’d almost even destroyed him, seeing what it had done to Abby. But despite all the misfortune, they’d somehow ended up lucky. He still had her here and they were still breathing. Maybe they were truly going to get past it now. <em> Please let that be the case, please, </em> Owen thought, as his own tears fell. Rain was seeping in from the broken roof. Maybe no one would notice.</p><p>
  
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I'm thinking the POV's graphic at the top and then something related to the chapter at the end. Don't expect super involved scenes posed each time, it'll more likely be moody closeups or something.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Open Seas</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The days pass on by as Abby, Owen, Lev, and Yara sail down the coast. Questions are answered, and questions are created.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I tagged 'eventual smut' on this fic for the first chapter but... (spoiler) the time for that is now at the end of the chapter, just warning y'all. ;D</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  
</p><p>That morning, Abby woke up to the sound of Lev and Yara murmuring to each other. It was their first morning out on the sea, having packed up and left the day after their encounter with the Jackson crew. Abby peeked her head up from the boat’s bed, there Lev and Yara were out in the back with Owen, who was steering the boat.</p><p>“Sleep good?” Owen asked her when she’d gone out to meet them.</p><p>“Yeah, actually. Slept pretty soundly.” That had been a rare occurrence for her these last few years, and Abby could get used to it.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>They’d all decided that the four of them were going to follow the lead and go to Santa Barbara. Maybe Abby hadn’t been sure before, but there was no turning back now for any of them, and this lead seemed their best option. That night Owen made sure the boat was fixed, and she, Lev and Yara gathered supplies for their trip, including most of the food Owen had, changes of clothes, and various toiletries. As she gathered all these things, Abby had thought to herself how on earth she was going to survive living on a small boat with three other people for weeks, but then she thought back to the long journeys on foot she’d done and her mindset of staying focused, one foot in front of the other. She could handle it. At least Mel wasn’t going to be there, that would have been so awkward.</p><p>They’d spent one last night in the Aquarium before setting out the next day. When Abby found Owen the next morning, he was gazing out in the Aquarium dome, looking lost in thought. </p><p>“Think you’re ready to let this place go?” Abby asked him.</p><p>Owen looked over at her, “Almost. C’mere”</p><p>Abby followed him as he headed back to the lobby, to where he had some art supplies in the corner. Taking out a large marker, he glanced over at her as he approached Max’s old wall art. “<em> Max was here </em> ” was on the wall, and under it Owen wrote in “ <em> Owen was here </em>.” When he was done he offered the marker to Abby. </p><p>“You should put your name on.”</p><p>Abby shook her head, “It’s your aquarium.”</p><p>Owen looked reminisce, “It was yours too.”</p><p>Abby hesitated, but relented and took the marker from him. Under their names she wrote in, “<em> Abby was here </em>.”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“So, are you gonna tell us what that was all about back at the Aquarium?” asked Lev as they were lounging around that next day.</p><p>“<em> Lev… </em>” scolded Yara.</p><p>“What? You wanted to know too.”</p><p>Abby looked at Owen, whose brows were raised. Owen steered the wheel of the boat and shrugged. “Abs, it’s up to you to tell them whatever you want.”</p><p>Abby sighed. She knew she’d have to. She didn’t have to say all the painful details, just the basics.</p><p>“Okay. Yeah, you guys deserve to know.” Abby hesitated for a moment, knowing she was going to have to speak about what had haunted her for years.</p><p>“I guess I’ll start with telling you about my dad. His name was Jerry Anderson, and he was the most talented surgeon and medical mind left in this country. I was around Yara’s age when we both got sent by the Fireflies to go to this hospital called St. Mary’s in Salt Lake City.”</p><p>“The same Fireflies were going to try and find?” asked Lev. Owen nodded and answered. “Yes, same organization, different people though.” </p><p><em> If they’re even really there, </em>thought Abby. She still wasn’t as sure as him.</p><p>Abby leaned back a bit, continuing her story.“Anyway, so we travelled to Salt Lake City and Fireflies from across the country were there already. Including Owen.” Abby gestured to Owen, and he gave her a soft smile that brought her back to the day she first saw him, when she’d arrived and he had smiled at her just like that and made her blush. She pushed the thought away and continued on, “Um, and a bunch of my other friends I had were Fireflies that I met there as well. Manny, Jordan, Nick, Nora, and Leah.”</p><p>“Are they all dead?” asked Yara, gently. </p><p>“Yes, they’re all dead. Mel was there too, she studied medicine under my father. We did a lot of waiting for months at the hospital.” This was hard to talk about. It hurt to think about times they had before that day happened. </p><p>Honestly, Abby had amazing days there before it came crashing down. She’d become an official Firefly and found her place, made amazing friends, and fallen in love. She glanced at Owen and he looked far off, gazing out on the water, probably thinking about the same thing. <em> But it had all turned to dust. </em></p><p>“Our leader, Marlene, told us that a girl had been found who was immune to the virus. So we were waiting for a group of Fireflies to bring her there, but they were all were killed by FEDRA soldiers before they could do that. We were told a smuggler was bringing her there instead...” Abby hesitated and bit her lip. <em> Just say it. Don’t get emotional. </em></p><p>“Well the smuggler and the girl turned up one day, miraculously. My dad did tests on her, but to extract a cure for the virus from her, she’d have to die. Marlene told the smuggler, Joel, this and he… went psycho and murdered almost all of the Fireflies. Any of them who got in his path. He was like a killing machine. My dad tried to stop him from taking the girl, so Joel killed him too.”</p><p>She could feel their sad eyes on her. Abby took a breath. “The survivors just split up and disbanded as our leader was dead, as were so many of us. Some of us went north to Seattle on a tip. My friends, including Owen, went that way. Then we got there, and I spent years trying to find Joel Miller. Thinking about what it’d be like to make him feel my pain. I still had friends, I still had a life. But I wanted to do was find him and kill him.” Abby looked at Owen, who looked somber, there was a shine reflected in his eyes. </p><p>“I pushed everyone away.” Abby stated. Lev and Yara were looking at her sympathetically.</p><p>She cleared her throat. “So for years I ran into dead end after dead end. Then four months ago I got real lead. His brother was at a settlement in Wyoming. It was hundreds of miles away and the winter, but I got the crew from Salt Lake to come with me to see if he was there. We didn’t just find his brother, though. I’d went off on my own and ran into Joel himself. I didn’t know it at first. We had to get back to the cabin my crew was holed up in as there was a horde of infected chasing us. Then Tommy and Joel revealed themselves.”</p><p>Abby shook her head, remembering. She could see Owen shift uncomfortably in her peripheral vision. She just had to say it succinctly. </p><p>“We knocked out Tommy, and I tortured and killed Joel. Bludgeoned him with a golf club. Then the girl showed up. Same one from the hospital, same one from the Aquarium. She watched as I finished the job. So you can see why she and Tommy wanted us all dead.”</p><p>Owen added, “It was my idea to let them go. The others wanted to kill them too and I said no because it wasn’t right. Then as a thank you, they came after us and killed the rest of the Crew as revenge for our revenge. They almost killed us, too.”</p><p>Abby nodded, glad that it was all over. “Yeah, true. Well there’s the story. Now you don’t have to wonder anymore.”</p><p>It was a lot to take in for Lev and Yara, Abby could tell. There wasn’t much more murmuring for the rest of the eerily quiet night.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Afterwards, there had been lighter days. Their spirits had been up a bit as there had been good weather and they were sailing at a good pace down the coast.</p><p>It was early morning, and Abby was sitting at the back of the sailboat, looking over the waves with Lev and Yara.</p><p>Owen had gone into the cabin, “Who’s hungry?” He asked them. ”I have some dry cereal.”</p><p>“What’s cereal?” asked Lev.</p><p>“Oh, do Scars not have that?” replied Owen, pouring some into bowls.</p><p>“<em> Seraphites </em>,” corrected Abby, Lev, and Yara all at once.</p><p>Owen looked at them, eyes shocked like an animal caught in a trap. It was kind of hilarious. Abby burst out laughing and then the rest joined in. </p><p>Owen got over his surprise and began to laugh as well, “Okay, <em> Seraphites </em>. Sorry, I’ll try and remember that.”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>It had started to rain for the first time on the trip, and they all decided to do some rain water catching and wash up a bit while it poured. It was a good thing too, they all kinda of stunk a bit.</p><p>Abby was rinsing her upper body a bit, still keeping some clothes on though. She was going about it, sudsing with a bit of soap when she heard Yara gasp. Concerned, Abby turned quickly and almost slipped. She didn’t see anything out of place, just Yara gazing away while everyone had turned and looked at her.</p><p>“What happened, are you hurt?” asked Abby, alarmed.</p><p>“No, sorry. I-” replied Yara. She looked embarrassed and was looking down, her hair was loose and she wiped it from her face. She made a small gesture at Owen, who had his shirt off as he was trying to wash off in the rain, “You scars just surprised me, I’m sorry.” </p><p>Abby looked over at Owen too now. She’d seen his large burn scars before, though they weren’t that old. They were hidden under his shirts normally, but they covered the right side of his chest and back, swirled and raised and angry.</p><p>“Oh.” Owen looked down as if he’d forgotten they were there. “Yeah unfortunately they mar my perfect physique.”</p><p>“What happened?” asked Lev.</p><p>“Uh, Molotov cocktail. Thrown by a Sca-<em> Seraphite </em>.” Owen looked over at Abby. His gaze was hard to keep, it was just difficult now. “Abby was there. She helped me and was there for me when it happened.”</p><p><em> Selective memory. </em>She thought to herself. Maybe she’d helped him when he was first hurt, but Abby had really begun isolating herself from Owen after he got injured. It was terrible to think about, but she’d pushed him away when he had needed her most. Generous payback from her, when he had been there for her so much when her dad was killed.</p><p>“Yeah.” Abby added shortly, “I was there.”</p><p>“So… you got all those scars on you fighting Seraphites?” said Lev, sounding hesitant. Owen looked anxious at that, looking down at the various cuts, scrapes and burns that covered him. Abby thought back to her old mindset. They had used to hate every Scar. Kill and torture them because they would done the same to the Wolves. The Scars weren’t like them, they were brainwashed fanatics and psychos. </p><p>Abby addressed Lev, “Yeah, that’s what we did back then. But that chapter is over. We’re not Wolves anymore and I’m not gonna hurt you and Owen’s not gonna hurt you. I promise.” Then Abby moved over to where Lev was and put a hand on his shoulder.</p><p>Owen looked to reassure them, “Agreed, I’d never even think about hurting you guys. We’re a group now.”</p><p>Yara and Lev seemed satisfied with that, and they returned to their rain showers. </p><p><em> We’re a group now. </em> Abby thought. <em> They’re my people. </em></p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The days on the sea went by like blips. Abby kept herself busy reading every book they’d brought on board, everyone else started to do that as well. They tried having a book club, though it was hard when there was only one copy of the books on board. Eventually they tried it with something short, <em> The Great Gatsby </em>. Once everyone had read it, they all spent an evening discussing it. Lev and Yara had been confused at some aspects of it, and Abby and Owen had to explain to them parts of history and the culture, though quite a bit of it was lost on them as well.</p><p>They actually had an enormous amount of fun when Lev started reading “A Street Car Named Desire” and asked why it was written oddly.</p><p>Abby took the book from him and paged through it. “It’s a play,” she told him.</p><p>“What’s that?” asked Lev.</p><p>“Well, it’s when a group of people act out the story. Kind of like a movie but in live action.”</p><p>“Oh! I think I know what movies are. That sounds cool.”</p><p>“Yeah, when I was a kid I went to a school where we put on a play. I got to act in it.”</p><p>“You were in a play? Can I be in a play? Can we do this play?” Though it was her immediate instinct to say no, Lev seemed really excited at this and Abby was honestly bored as hell. Yara looked up from her book at them. “That sounds fun,” she said. Owen peeked out from inside the cabin, “Did someone say a put on a play?”</p><p>They only had one copy of it, so they ended up having to pass the book around. Abby played Blanche, Owen was Stanley, Yara was Stella, and Lev read for the rest of the parts. There wasn’t too much acting they did beyond a little miming and some dramatic line reading, but the kids were getting a kick out of it, as was she and Owen had perked up a lot too. The ending of it was a bit depressing though, and Abby made a note to act out a comedy with them next time.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Yara was still struggling to get used to her one arm-ness at times, but Owen took the time to encourage her.</p><p>“You know when we get to the Fireflies I bet they can make you a new arm. A hook arm, like a pirate.”</p><p>“A pirate?” asked Yara.</p><p>“Yeah, like Captain Hook in Peter Pan. Or maybe they’re really advanced and can make you a robotic arm like the Terminator.”</p><p>Abby scoffed at him. <em> There is no way Yara is gonna know he’s joking </em>. “She’s never seen those movies, she has no idea what you’re talking about.”</p><p>“Yeah…” said Owen. “But maybe the Fireflies will have a movie theatre, then she’ll be able to watch and understand!”</p><p><em> Oh my god. Yeah, a movie theatre </em>. Abby sighed, and moved to the cabin to read her book.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>It was a cold and rainy night, so Abby and Owen couldn’t sleep outside on the seats as they normally did. Instead, they slept on the floor of the cabin, while Lev and Yara took the bed. Sleeping on the cabin floor they had to do once before when it had previously rained overnight, so it wasn’t their first time doing that since that night they’d slept together on the boat back in Seattle. The other night it had been a bit awkward, they’d each moved to the furthest part of the floor from each other. Abby could remember how cold she’d been under the thin blanket, and how part of her wished Owen would have moved a bit closer.</p><p>Now she found herself in the same position, only the thing was she’d stopped caring so much. They’d spent weeks on the boat, all being together, but also not really being together. It was pitch black, and Abby could hear the other’s light snores over the patter of the rain on the roof. She remembered thinking, <em>F</em><em>uck it. I’m fucking cold </em>, and then scooching closer to Owen under the blanket. Abby had gotten up next to him and slowly, gently, placed her arm on him. Abby heard his snoring cease, and he sleepily shifted, bringing himself a bit closer to her. She then heard his breathing slow down again as he went back to sleep. Abby snuggled in, already feeling warmer and content, and too drifted off. </p><p>She woke up that morning cuddled on her side into Owen’s chest, her arms brought in close to herself and his arm around her. It was quite a comfortable position, but once the drowsiness wore off she realized what she was doing. Abby tried to move back without waking Owen, but she heard his breathing hitch as she moved off him. <em> Damn it, s </em> he thought as he brought a hand up to rub his eyes. Abby saw someone shift in the bed above, only to make eye contact with Lev, who was watching her leave a compromising position with a judging expression. <em> Fucking great. </em></p><p>Though Owen didn’t bring up what happened that morning, all day Lev and Yara wouldn’t stop murmuring to each other. Abby could tell they were talking about her and grew fed up with it as the day wore on.</p><p>Abby stopped trying to read her book as Owen entered the ship's cabin and Lev leaned over and whispered something in Yara’s ear.</p><p>“Have something you want to say, Lev?” Abby asked him. She kind of felt like a teacher scolding a student.</p><p>Lev had a smuggish look on, “We were just wondering something. So you told us about the history with the Jackson people and you both being in the Fireflies. But what’s your two’s history? Like are you together? Because it’s not clear.”</p><p>Abby figured they’d ask but she could feel her cheeks growing hot. </p><p>“Yeah, you wanna explain, Abby?” Owen then stuffed a granola bar in his mouth to avoid talking.</p><p>Abby rolled her eyes at him. “I told them the Firefly stuff. How about you cover this one. Especially since there’s some stuff in there that doesn’t involve me.” Abby was feeling bitter when she said that, but then she remembered what had happened what Owen had told her happened at the Aquarium when she was gone, and felt pang of guilt. Abby covered half her face with her fist and looked away. </p><p>She felt Owen put a hand on her shoulder, like he knew what she just been thinking. “Yeah, I can tell the story,” he said.</p><p>Owen was standing beside where she sat on the bench in the cabin. She could see him look down at her as he spoke but she kept her gaze away and towards Lev and Yara who were sitting on the bed. “Well, I met Abby when she arrived at the hospital with her dad. I was already there with some other Fireflies. We made eye contact and uh, well I was smitten. I tried really hard to get Abby to like me. I also looked a bit more hunky back then so it wasn’t that hard to win her over,” said Owen, scratching his beard. Abby rolled her eyes.</p><p>“Aw, is that true, Abby?” asked Lev.</p><p>Abby brought her legs up to her chest and looked up at Owen. “Yeah, I had thought he was cute. And an idiot.”</p><p>Owen grinned. “Both are correct. But uh, yeah we started seeing each other in secret for a bit and really began to like each other. It was really nice for those couple months. I’d draw pictures of her, we’d write each other letters. We kept it like our secret.” Owen’s voice was reminisce. It really brought her back to those months, she loved those months, loved that time. If he was trying to make her nostalgic it was working.</p><p>“Um, and then the Joel thing happened and we were there for each other. I tried my best to help Abby get through it. It was a hard time.” Owen’s voice was low and gentle, like he didn’t want to hurt her again with the memories. But Abby was so used to the stab from them, she barely felt their pain anymore.</p><p>“Anyway, we headed north to Seattle and the WLF and Isaac so graciously took us in.” Owen glanced at the kids, probably thinking it’d be best to avoid talk of the WLF and the many, many Seraphites they’d both killed. “Me and Abby, and all of our Salt Lake Crew were bonded after all that. We were a tight group of friends then.” </p><p>“So Abby was just your friend?” asked Lev.</p><p>Owen looked down at Abby, “No, no. She was definitely my girlfriend. Everybody knew about us by the time we got to Seattle.”</p><p>Abby groaned and chimed in, “Ugh, I remember all the gossip that flew around about us and our crew. Like people would never shut up about us.”</p><p>Owen laughed, “Yeah! Got a lot of unsolicited advice and questions.” He smiled, “But yes, we joined the Wolves, got acclimated. There was the Ferris wheel that was just taunting us from the pier and after begging for <em> weeks </em> I got Abby to come up there with me.”</p><p>Abby scoffed, “Mhmm, you scared the shit out of me on that Ferris wheel! Shaking it and jumping off.”</p><p>Lev looked intrigued, “You went up on that big wheel? That’s awesome, I wish I did that. I can’t believe he got you to go all the way up there.”</p><p>“Yeah, it was hard to convince her so I just started climbing up and she didn’t want to miss out.” Owen grinned at her and Abby shook her head. “But then, we found the Aquarium, and that was the real prize. I came back to it over the years and fixed it up. Sometimes even managed to drag Abby back.” Abby gave a little smile and looked away, there’d been great memories there, and some not so great ones.</p><p>Yara had been listening intently. “Okay but what happened to you two? Did you break up? When?”</p><p>Owen looked down and picked at his fingernails. “Well. We tried to make it work. We held on for another year after that but uh, we just became fueled by different motivations. It became clear that it would be better at that point to end the relationship.” Abby could tell it was hard for Owen to find the words. What he told them was true, though he could have just said it was because all she could think about was how much she had wanted Joel to pay. </p><p>Owen still had more to say, “Yeah um, so we broke up and it was hard. At least for me it was. I think Abby just bench-pressed her feelings away.”</p><p>“Oh shut up, asshole.”</p><p>Owen smirked. “Yeah, and uh, a few months later my friend Mel suggested we go on a date together. So we did, and then we dated for a year.” </p><p><em>“Then he didn’t pull out.”</em> Abby mumbled.</p><p>Now it was Owen’s turn to scoff and roll his eyes. Lev looked confused.</p><p>“Very eloquent for the kids. Thank you, Abigail.” Abby grew a smug smile.</p><p>“‘Abigail?’ And what’s-“</p><p>Owen cut him off, “<em> Ehhh </em> doesn’t matter, she’s just saying that I got Mel pregnant. But Mel didn’t even tell me that until we were way on our way to Jackson. And then shit happened on the Jackson trip. Our group got pretty shattered after that. But um, that’s all not relevant right now. I guess that’s the story.”</p><p>Yara nodded, however Lev didn’t look satisfied. “But what about after Jackson?” he pressed.</p><p>Owen gave a little shake of his head. “We just tried to make it back to Seattle fast as possible, and when we got there we just mostly avoided each other. At least, I avoided everyone.’</p><p>Lev pursed his lips, “Okay, but wasn’t Abby at your Aquarium that day after she saved us?”</p><p><em> I’m not gonna have him squeeze out of us what happened that night. </em>“Yeah, I was. Because I thought Owen was in trouble, which is where I went and he was fine, and then the next morning I went back for you guys. That’s all.”</p><p>Owen crossed his arms, and followed her lead. “Yeah, that’s all. That’s the story of me and Abby. Now, is it just me or is anyone else hungry?”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Stopping in a town by the sea for supplies, Abby and Owen were going to go in one area of the town, and Lev and Yara were going to look in another. They were to fill their packs with supplies and meet back at the boat in an hour. Lev had his bow and Yara was capable of using her pistol, so Abby felt comfortable letting them go off on their own. Hopefully there wasn’t any infected around.</p><p>It was in a moderately well-preserved house that Abby and Owen began to find things. Abby found old can of food tucked in the back of the pantry, and well as an unopened bottle of rubbing alcohol.</p><p>“Hey Abs, look what I found.” Owen partially muffled voice came from around the corner. He was brushing his teeth and holding up a toothpaste bottle. </p><p>“Are you using someone’s 20 year old used toothbrush?” Abby asked him, eyebrows scrunched together.</p><p>“No… They had unopened ones under the sink,” he gestured. Abby got up to look, he was right. </p><p>Abby took out three more. “I think we could all use one of these,” she said, opening one for herself, she’d really missed the feeling of brushed teeth. All four of them just sort of stank a bit, mostly getting clean when rain came, or using seawater with their bits of soap.</p><p>When she was done, Abby began to search through the upstairs. The house was nice, a family had definitely lived there and raised their kids there. There were soccer trophies in one of the rooms and faded childhood pictures on the walls. She wandered to the biggest bedroom, and on one of the nightstands was a wedding photo. In the corner it read <em> Josh and Liz, 2001 </em>.</p><p>“You find anything?” asked Owen from the doorway, his pack looked pretty full. Owen’s arm propped him up against the doorway as he watched her. His shirt was looking a bit baggy, his beard and hair getting a bit long. Abby honestly hadn’t taken a good look at him in the near two months they’d been on the sea. She’d mostly just been staying in a focused mind space to keep herself from not going crazy or getting annoyed at the three others in close proximity to her every day. In a way the past few weeks hadn’t felt really real.</p><p>“You lost some weight,” she mused to him. </p><p>Owen made a face and walked over to her, “You saying I was fat before? I was going through some things, okay. Meanwhile, your guns are as mighty as ever.” He made a bicep squeezing motion but didn’t touch her. Abby wished he had, just to prove he was actually there.</p><p>“You were preparing your dad-bod. It's okay.” </p><p>Owen's mouth twitched at that, and she regretted bringing it up. She just wanted to talk to him. Having him here sitting next to her was starting to warm her up. She wanted to feel again, just for a little. Not be on auto-pilot. Abby reached her hand out and put it on Owen’s thigh, gently rubbing it.</p><p>“What are you doing?” murmured Owen, his expression hesitant.</p><p>“If I asked you to fuck me no strings attached, just sex, would you do it?” </p><p>Owen gave a shake of his head in disbelief. “What, like last time?” </p><p>Last time. Them in then boat, skin to skin, hands on each other. Maybe afterwards it had felt wrong but in the moment it was exactly what they both needed. Pulling each other back down to earth. Abby knew he still cared about her after that night. </p><p>“Yeah, like last time,” she whispered. Abby remembered how afterwards she’d felt guilty, snapped at him. Tried to make him feel like she didn’t care. Maybe she really didn’t. Maybe she did.</p><p>Abby couldn’t figure out what Owen was thinking. He must have been feeling pent up like she was. She’d caught him staring at her sometimes when she was only halfway clothed on the boat, washing up and changing. </p><p>Owen rubbed the back of his neck. “Well, yeah okay. I’m down. Can I kiss you at least?” He shrugged off his pack and set it on the ground.</p><p>Abby replied by meeting his face with hers, leaning across the bed to meet him. His beard was rather long now and she wasn’t the biggest fan of how it felt on her cheeks. But his lips felt the same, the way he kissed her was the same. <em> Fuck, </em> don’t get too caught up in it, she told herself. <em> You’re trying to fuck and that’s it </em>.</p><p>Abby wrapped her hands around his neck and then onto his chest. Owen propped himself over her, and Abby laid down on the bed. Owen moved to be over her, kissing her lips and neck, Abby felt woken out of her haze as he touched her skin, taking a hand over her tank top and kneading her breast. </p><p>Abby moved one of her hands as well, sliding it down to his crotch and attempting to unbutton his pants one handed. After a bit of attempting, it proved a bit harder than she’d thought, and Owen leaned off her to undo his own pants zip and Abby took the opportunity to undo hers, pulling them down her legs to her ankles. Abby reached forward and nudged him to take off his shirt as well; she wanted to feel his skin. He obliged and Abby leaned back, waiting.</p><p>Owen held himself in his hand, the afternoon light was streaming through the room’s windows unto their bodies and Abby was reminded of their last time, in the orange haze of the boat, how she’d wanted him, how when they’d come together everything seemed okay, just for those moments.</p><p>Owen gave her body a glance over and then leaned back over her to kiss her. It was soft, too soft, so she met him with a lip bite, and swapped his hand around himself for hers. Owen then moved his hand to the bush between her legs and inserted a finger into her. Abby moaned a small approval as they touched each other, trying to warm the other up for the next step. </p><p>Abby twisted her hand around his member and tilted her head to the side. “Fuck me,” she whispered to him.</p><p>Owen didn’t need telling twice, leaning off a little and taking him to be aligned with her entrance. He then slowly pushed inside, and Abby bit her lip and tensed up. “<em> Fuck, </em>Abby,” hissed Owen through his teeth as he pushed in. “Relax.” He told her, and reached for her hand on the bed.</p><p>“I don’t want to relax, I want you to fuck me,” she replied and brought her gaze to his. Owen looked a bit unsure, but his expression shifted more serious and then darkened with lust as he began to thrust into her at a steady pace. Abby brought a hand between her legs and began massaging her clit as Owen pumped in and out. It was starting to feel good, feel how she wanted it. Abby could feel her heart pumping, and when she brought her hand to his chest she could feel his.</p><p>“<em> Faster, please </em> .” She told him, and Owen leaned down again, one hand on her hip, one on the bed, and he began to thrust quicker into her. Abby brought a hand to grip the back of his head then grasped down to his right shoulder, digging her nails into him. She had dirty thoughts run through her mind of how she wanted him to finish inside her. She was close to cumming but not there yet. “ <em> Yes. Come on… </em>” she gasped to him. In that moment, Abby wanted to feel him fill her as she came. </p><p>But Owen pulled out, and with a grunt he came his loads on the sheet next to her. Abby couldn’t help but feel disappointed. Even though he had to, Abby always hated when Owen pulled out before she had a chance to orgasm. She didn’t like when he pulled out in general, at least she didn’t in the moment. There’d been a few times in their past when he hadn’t and she’d never felt closer to a person. </p><p>Abby stared to the side and Owen tilted her head back to him and brought her back to a kiss. He brought his hand between her legs and put them in her again, moving his fingers in and out and kneading in circles. Abby felt the pleasure begin to come back again as he worked his hand, and she leaned into it the sensation as she gripped his wrist as she eventually was pulled over the edge as well.</p><p>When she felt it finish coming over her, Abby let go of his arm, and Owen slowly stood up, zipping himself back on his pants. Abby slid her legs together and reached down to pull hers up as well.</p><p>Owen broke the awkward silence afterwards. “I would have done a bit more but I think we can both agree we need a shower.”</p><p>Abby couldn’t help but crack a smile at that.</p><p>They both got dressed and picked up their findings, heading back to the boat.</p><p>“Let’s just not bring that up,” was the only thing Abby said on what they’d done.</p><p>“Alright, Abby,” Owen had replied, as they walked down the run-down streets.</p><p>When they’d got back to the boat, Yara and Lev were waiting there for them, packs full with food, supplies, and some bullets.</p><p>“What took you so long, did you run into demons?” asked Lev.</p><p>Abby glanced at Owen, she hoped this wasn’t going to be weird now. “Um, no we didn’t, luckily. Found a lot of good stuff though, but let’s get on the boat and get going. We still have a ways to go. Santa Barbara awaits.”</p><p>
  
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  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>ohh a spicy render. also join me on my Tumblr, @ abbystanaccount 😈<br/>Next POV I have to make a decision on which person to use and might be a shorter chapter depending on who it is, but there's more story to go and all will get a chance.</p>
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<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Gone to Shore</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Lev thinks about his journey, and the group makes landfall.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
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</p><p>Lev didn’t know what to expect on this adventure. He’d previously barely left the Seraphite’s Island, but now they were sailing far, far away from anything he’d ever known. Extremely far. He could hardly believe the world was this big, they'd been going down the coast for weeks and still weren’t to Santa Barbara.</p><p>Lev’s favorite thing to do on the boat was to watch the land go by. He liked watching the various structures come and go, and was always scoping out the seaside buildings for anything that looked worth stopping for. His next favorite thing to do was read. He was trying to read every book that was on the sailboat. It had been forbidden to read such fluff before when he’d been a Seraphite, but now he could do whatever he wanted. Reading about how the world used to be and the fantastical tales the old-world authors had come up with was mesmerizing to Lev and made his imagination go wild.</p><p>Lastly, Lev liked talking to everyone on board with him. Lev was most of all grateful that Yara was there with him. Thanks to Abby coming with him to the hospital for medical supplies, Yara’s life was saved, though, she was now missing a forearm. Yara tried to hide her struggles, but Lev knew it was hard for her adapting to life without it. Lev caught her wincing a few times, her arm hurt her if she put too much pressure on it. Yara’s mindset though was much like his, being excited to leave and start a new life. But Lev could also tell she was also anxious, worried about him. </p><p>Lev thought differently, he knew there’d be nothing to worry about because they met Abby, and Lev trusted Abby. Lev felt a connection with her, the time they’d fought together was a learning experience for both of them and Lev really got to know her from that. He never thought he’d trust a Wolf, and she never thought she’d trust a Seraphite, but somehow they did and together they had helped each other find their place.</p><p>The last person on the boat was Owen. He was also a Wolf. Lev knew he could probably trust him as much as he trusted Abby, but he was still a bit hesitant with him. Lev was also as shocked as Yara was at all the scars Owen had from killing Seraphites, it was unsettling to think about how many people they once knew that were killed at the hands of Owen and of Abby. Lev knew Abby killed just as many Seraphites as Owen had, but Lev felt sure about Abby. After journeying with Abby, Lev knew Abby was a good person who’d never hurt them. Sure, Owen was funny and tried to be nice to him and Yara, but there was something a bit strained in his interactions with them. It had made a little more sense now that Owen and Abby told him and Yara about their histories though, they’d both been through a lot of pain. Mel, the woman who fixed Yara, had been Owen’s girlfriend and was pregnant with his baby. Yet, she had left him and betrayed the group’s location to the trespassers? Mel had obviously been upset with Owen, and Lev wondered if it had to do with Abby. Those two’s relationship Lev still did not fully understand, but there was definitely something going on. One day Lev would get it out of them.</p><p>Though there wasn’t much to do, Lev still found the journey rather enjoyable and wasn’t minding how long it was taking. That afternoon he was on top of the cabin of the boat staring out onto the sea as it swept by. Lev’s thoughts were interrupted by the sound of his sister, somewhat clunkily coming up on top of the cabin with him.</p><p>“Hi,” he greeted her as Yara carefully lowered herself to a seated position next to him.</p><p>“Hey, Lev. Owen was talking to me and he said we’re only like four days away from Santa Barbara.” </p><p>“Really? I thought it was going to be more like a week. That’s cool, I’m really excited,” responded Lev.</p><p>“Do you think the Fireflies are gonna be there?” asked Yara. It wasn’t the first time they’d asked each other that question.</p><p>“Owen seems to think so. Abby’s skeptical though,” replied Lev. “She told me she might want to go another way if the lead ends up dry and Owen wants to still keep looking for them.”</p><p>“She said she wanted to split up?” Yara looked surprised. </p><p>“She said maybe. Because something about Owen being a bit too much of an optimist about how sure he is the Fireflies are still around. She said that she doesn’t want to chase thin air, and would rather try and find a settlement of some sort that would take us in. She wants to include me and you in that plan if the Firefly thing doesn’t work out.”</p><p>Yara looked unsettled by that. “I don’t know. I really would like to find the Fireflies. Owen was telling me all about them. Abby said she’d maybe want to split up? Because I don’t think Owen would do that if she proposed we do that.”</p><p>Lev shrugged. It was all just a bunch of possibilities. “Maybe not. Whatever we find though, I’m sticking with you,” he took her hand. “Hopefully Abby too, though. I really like her. Owen as well, I wouldn’t like it either if our group broke up.”</p><p>Yara nodded at that and gave Lev a small smile, then looked out towards the horizon with him.</p><p> </p><p>The day before reaching Santa Barbara they were all a bit antsy. Abby did her workouts twice just to keep herself occupied. Lev couldn’t focus on his book, partially because he was anxious and partially because he’d left the most boring books for last. He and Yara played a dice game their elders had taught them basically all morning trying to keep themselves doing something. It was Owen who broke the tension that day.</p><p>“I was gonna do this tomorrow but I can’t wait anymore. The beard and the hair’s gotta go.”</p><p>Abby smirked at him from the outside seat of the boat. “What, gonna try and impress all the Fireflies which your suavely shaven face?” </p><p>Owen turned to her. “Well, if they’re there I don’t want to look like some unkempt straggler. So yeah. But also because this was my Sea Captain’s look and soon I won’t be a Sea Captain anymore. I’ll be Firefly number 000428 again,” he said with a small smile. Lev side eyed to Yara to catch her reaction. She met his gaze and replied with a quick tug of her mouth to the side.</p><p>Owen clapped his hands together. “Lev! Would you like to help cut my hair? You do a great job on your own.”</p><p>Lev was surprised at that offer, “Oh, sure I can try.”</p><p>Abby looked offended. “Hey what am I, chopped liver? I used to cut your hair all the time.”</p><p>Owen ran a hand through his grown out hair, “Yeah, and I’ve got cuts on my head from all those times you messed up.”</p><p>“Those weren’t all from me!” Abby protested.</p><p>“I know, I know, I kid. Maybe you could give Lev some tips.” </p><p>Lev ended up cutting Owen’s hair pretty short, but it wasn’t buzzed because they didn’t have the right kind of razor and had to use scissors. Abby guided Lev a bit Lev tried his best to get it even and fade the top a little longer. </p><p>Owen looked at his hair in the mirror and gave his opinion. “I’ve definitely had worse. Not bad, Lev. What do you think, Abby?”</p><p>“Your haircut before looked better. Maybe the Fireflies will have a barber, though!” she said sarcastically. </p><p>“They might Abby.” Owen replied and then looked at Yara. “They might also have a movie theatre.”</p><p>Abby looked doubtful. “Right. Anyway, it doesn't go with the beard, you should lose that too.”</p><p>“Yeah, yeah, I know you think I’m better looking without it. So I’ll do it.” Owen teased.</p><p>Abby brushed him off. “Sure. Lev, how about I cut your hair too? It’s getting long.”</p><p>“Alright,” replied Lev. He was glad she offered, it was getting a bit lengthy for his liking. Lev took a seat and Abby began to trim his hair with the scissors.</p><p>“It won’t be buzzed but I’ll try to make it look good,” murmured Abby, hard at work. </p><p>“Thanks, Abby,” replied Lev. His eyes moved to Owen by the mirror, starting to cut off his beard. Lev thought he looked fine with the beard, beards were cool.</p><p>“I wish I had a beard.” Lev mumbled.</p><p>Owen turned, hearing him. “Yeah they keep your face nice and warm in the winter. Um, maybe one day you’ll get one.”</p><p><em>“ Owen!” </em>Abby stopped cutting Lev’s hair and glared at Owen.</p><p>Owen fidgeted, “What? I maybe like maybe… I don’t know he could maybe- Okay. I don’t know, stop glaring at me!” Abby shook her head.</p><p>Lev was confused, he didn’t think it’d be possible for him to grow a beard ever, was it? He had to ask. “What do you mean, is there some way?” </p><p>Abby resumed cutting his hair but was hesitant. “There’s certain hormone medications that could help you Lev, but I don’t know everything about it and it could be hard to get, especially consistently. Maybe we’ll meet someone who can help, but don’t get your hopes up.”</p><p>“Oh, okay.” Lev didn’t know what Abby really meant, but if he there was a way to feel more comfortable in his own body, Lev would do anything for that.</p><p> </p><p>The morning that they were to pull into Santa Barbara, Lev woke up at first light, full of jitters. He was feeling a wave of anxiety hit, and clutching his shark plush, tried to shift up in the bed without waking Yara, but he heard her stir. Lev sat up in the bed as she began to wake up. Abby and Owen were sleeping on the seats outside, like usual on a nice night.</p><p>“Mmm, I see light,” mumbled Yara, rubbing her eyes with her hand. “I kept waking up in the middle of the night anticipating it being morning.”</p><p>“It’s morning now,” responded Lev, quietly.</p><p>“I’m excited,” said Yara. “I hope we find someone in Santa Barbara with another lead.”</p><p>“Me too,” replied Lev. “I hope it all works out.”</p><p>Lev’s thoughts wandered back to the time the four of them were escaping the island he and Yara once called home. He’d wanted to save his mother, even though she hated him. He didn’t mean to kill her. Then Yara, Abby, and Owen came after him, he should have known they would. They easily all could have been killed, especially because the Wolves had all attacked at the same time. He’d been so stupid.</p><p>Lev looked over at his sister, who’d sat herself up opposite him on the bed. She was gingerly adjusting the cloth wrapping she kept around her stubbed arm.</p><p>“I’m really sorry that happened to you. Because of me.” Lev pushed back tears.</p><p>Yara looked up at him and smiled sadly. “It’s okay, Lev. You’re my brother and I’d do it all again.”</p><p>Lev was still bothered though. “Yeah, but things went so badly and they could have gone so much worse. Your arm, mom dying-”</p><p>“-and yet we’re both still here.” Yara cut him off. She leaned forwards and took his hand. “We’re still here, we met Abby and Owen and they’re good people and they’re taking us on the next step of our journey. We should be excited, not scared. The past happened, we can’t change it, but we can look forward to the future, okay?”</p><p>Lev nodded, her words did help. “Okay. Thanks Yara, I’ll try.” He leaned forward to hug her. Lev was most of all grateful that she was here with him.</p><p> </p><p>Owen steered the boat to the coast of Santa Barbara, and they all had to get out and push it onto shore. It was partially hidden by a cliff, and Abby and Owen seemed to think it was a good place to keep it.</p><p>“Are we coming back to the boat?” asked Lev.</p><p>“Yes, probably,” answered Abby. “But take your weapons and necessities with you. We’re gonna come across infected and maybe hostile people as well.”</p><p>The four made their way up on the cliff towards town, Lev noticed how warm it got here. It was maybe two months on the sea and the middle of Summer. Lev was starting to sweat in his long cargo pants. They’d come across a few Infected in some of the houses but mostly tried to avoid them. A runner was idling by a gate they needed to pass through, and Abby took it down silently with a simple crack of its neck. That was so cool when she did that, Lev wanted her to teach him that.</p><p>Their luck seemed to keep going strong as they’d come across what looked like a group of traders with trucks filled with various supplies. The group discussed amongst themselves what to do. </p><p>“Me and you go and talk with them,” Abby pointed to Owen and back at herself. “Lev and Yara watch our backs from behind those bushes.”</p><p>“I have to stay back?” complained Lev.</p><p>Owen was uneasy. “I think we should be careful, the WLF or maybe even the Jackson crew might be after us. You three look very memorable and these guys will remember you and turn that over for information just as quick as the info we’re looking for.” </p><p>But Abby was going to get her way. “Yes, that might all be true but two of us should go up there. I don’t want them to try anything.”</p><p>“Abby I think I can schmooze a better deal out of them then you can, you’re just going to scare them.” Owen countered.</p><p>“Good! That’ll help us get info!”</p><p>Lev’s head spun whenever those two bickered. He drowned them out and before he knew it, Yara was tugging him behind the bushes where’d they been directed and Owen and Abby were heading towards the traders.</p><p>“Get your head out of the clouds Lev,” scolded Yara. “We have to watch their backs.”</p><p>Lev crouched down with his sister  his and got his bow ready. From his viewpoint he watched Abby and Owen as they turned away from an older looking female and began to walk a few feet to the side where a skinny, scruffy looking man began to talk to them. Owen looked relaxed and was talking with his hands, but Abby looked tense, hands on her hips. Lev arms shook as he kept his bow taught. What if the traders tried to hurt them? The group spoke for a few minutes, and Lev saw Owen take his pack off and hand the man two boxes of bullets. <em> So they’re getting some info? </em> Lev grew hopeful as Abby seemed to loosen up as well and the two turned back towards them.</p><p>“Let’s head around the house and meet them,” suggested Yara, and Lev followed her. Heading around the corner, they met up a minute later with Abby and Owen. Owen was grinning, holding a piece of paper, and even Abby cracked a smile when she saw them.</p><p>“Do you know where the Fireflies are?” asked Lev. This had to be good news.</p><p>Owen shook the paper was holding. “The man said he’d heard of Fireflies in the area, and he told us the location of their base. 2425 Constance.”</p><p>
  
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  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Next chapter I'm gonna try and not make a complete rehash of my one-shot "Finding the Light" which follows a similar plotline, so I might need to spice it up a bit. 😎</p>
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<a name="section0004"><h2>4. 2425 Constance</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The group reaches 2425 Constance, will it be good or bad news? Owen struggles with the thought of the group splitting up if things don't pan out.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I refurbished part of this chapter from my fic "Finding the Light", though the climax is different 😏</p><p>warning: this chapter contains violence and sexual harrassment</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
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</p><p>Owen remembers the first time he ever saw her. </p><p>He had been stationed with a group of Fireflies from Colorado and they’d gotten orders to move to Salt Lake City. He had only been a Firefly for a couple years when they’d all packed up and moved. He’d still been so young and dumb, barely eighteen. Owen remembered he was excited to leave the base they were stationed at and travel to Salt Lake. They’d been blowing up FEDRA checkpoints and the like, and Owen hasn’t been sure how much he approved of that and mostly tried to stay away from the action. He much preferred graffitiing Firefly tags across the city. The violence reminded him a bit too much of what his father used to do when he had been a Firefly. Owen’s family had to flee years prior when their Firefly chapter had been exposed. As they fled and journeyed to find a new place to live, they went through the wrong city, the wrong street, and Owen’s father, mother, and brother were killed by Hunters. Owen only managed to escape because his brother distracted a Hunter while Owen attacked from behind, his brother had died for him.</p><p>Owen hated to think about that. He refused to let it consume him and instead chose consciously to be more positive on the outside, a joker, a people pleaser. He wanted to believe the world would get better, that it all it takes is some kindness back. </p><p>Owen knew Abby was much different in that way. He remembered he didn’t think much when Marlene told them a doctor from the East was arriving with his daughter. The whole cure thing sounded too good to be true, Owen had just been more excited to get to know the Fireflies coming from all over the country. There was young ones like him as well as older Fireflies with teenaged children. He remembered he was torn between looking like a professional Firefly who took this job really seriously, and getting to know all these interesting new people his age and have some fun for once. </p><p>Then the day came that Dr. Anderson and his daughter arrived along with their escort. They’d all been waiting outside the hospital for them, and Owen had been a little surprised by how Dr. Anderson looked. He looked like a friendly, picturesque suburban dad from the old world, and he was greeting everyone graciously. </p><p>Then around the corner peeked a blonde head. Owen remembers he got chills on his arms and back when he first saw her face. Her little braid, her shy closed lip smile on her pouty lips. She was beyond pretty to him. She was endearing. Captivating. Owen couldn’t quite tell her age, though she was tall. She was maybe a little younger than him, and he had really hoped not that much younger. Her eyes glanced around to the various Fireflies. Owen remembered she’d looked at him then and held his gaze, he’d given her a grin and a little wave, and she’d smiled shyly back.</p><p> </p><p>Together, their group mapped out a plan that evening on how they’d get across the city to 2425 Constance. They walked partially the way they that day, but had run into far more Infected than Owen’s liking. He, Abby and Lev seemed to be taking care of them just fine, but Yara was lagging behind a bit. She’d needed to rest a few times, and when she’d tried to help clearing out the Infected with her pistol, Owen had noticed she’d missed her shots a lot. She must have not actually been accustomed to using it, Owen hadn’t noticed before because when they went in supply stops as Yara normally split off with Lev. The whole thing made him a bit worried for the group.</p><p>When darkness started to fall, the four made camp in an abandoned house which they fortified with a couch in front of the door in case some Infected wandered through. Owen paced around the house a bit after they’d eaten, he saw Abby talking to Lev in one room, and Yara gazing out the window in another. Owen approached Yara.</p><p>“Hey, you okay?” he asked her, maybe she wanted to talk.</p><p>Yara looked hesitant; she probably wouldn‘t open up to him. “Yes, I’m fine.”</p><p>“I only ask because you looked like you were struggling a bit out there,” Owen tried to suggest.</p><p>Yara’s face went cold. “I wasn’t struggling,” she said shortly and then got up, brushing past him as she walked out the room. <em> Good one, Owen. </em> He thought to himself. <em> Idiot. </em></p><p>Owen walked back through the halls and stopped some feet away from the room where Abby and Lev were.</p><p>“-my priority is you and Yara.” Owen heard Abby say to Lev in a low voice. “I’m going to do what’s best for you both. I don’t know about this whole Firefly thing, honestly. Owen’s stuck on it but I don’t even know if I want to be one again.”</p><p>Lev’s voice came through, “Abby, I think it’ll be different this time.”</p><p>Abby snorted. “You’re starting to sound like Owen.”</p><p>“So what?” said Lev. “He cares about all of us, he thinks if the Fireflies are out there they could help us.”</p><p>Abby didn’t say anything for a moment. When she spoke her voice was cold. “He’s selfish. He’s gonna put himself first before you, Lev. At first he was going to go to Santa Barbara alone. Without his girlfriend or child, you remember that? The only reason he tolerates you is because you’re both with me. Don’t just blindly listen to him.”</p><p><em> What the hell? Is that what she really thought of him? </em> Owen was shocked hearing her say that, it cut deep. <em> Why would she go off like that? </em> He really liked Lev and Yara, he wouldn’t have known them if it weren’t for Abby sure, but he didn’t mind they were on the trip. It was nice to help them, they were good kids. Had he’d been selfish for not wanting to be with Mel and his child? Yes. Owen couldn’t help his feelings, though. No matter how hard Owen had tried to keep them away, his heart would always be for Abby. </p><p>But it didn’t seem like she cared. She’d even told him as much before. </p><p>Lev responded, sounding unsure, “That’s really harsh. But... I don’t know him as well as you, so I guess that’s true. I thought you cared about him, though?”</p><p>Abby sighed and answered in a low voice, “I don’t know anymore. I think it’s better for me if I just close myself off on that for now. Besides, I feel like we don’t really know each other anymore. I just need to see what’s going on next before I can figure anything like that out.”</p><p>Owen didn’t want to hear anymore and slowly moved away from the room. It was fine if Abby wanted to take her time and find stability, but he felt like she didn’t even know his feelings about her, he hadn’t the chance to tell her. Maybe he had to. Before they checked out the lead. She needed to understand, even if it made things awkward they had already been awkward around each other for the past two years anyway. If the lead ran dry and Abby went forward with this idea of cutting him off, Owen didn’t know what he’d do.</p><p> </p><p>The night went by quietly and in the morning the group set out again, headed across town. Owen watched Abby walk from the back of the pack for a good few minutes trying to convince himself to say something. Any time he thought about pulling her aside though, they’d run into a runner, or Lev would say something, or it just didn’t seem like the place. </p><p>They came across a cliff on the side of the road that overlooked the city, and Lev and Yara jogged up to see it. Abby put her head down and lingered back, she was never much one for views. </p><p>He should do it now, Owen told himself. They were only maybe a half hour walk from the house. If they got there and it was a bust, he’d be devastated.</p><p>“Hey Abs, can I talk to you for a second?” The words came out of his mouth whether he could help it or not. Lev and Yara turned their heads but stayed by the guardrail on the road. </p><p>Abby’s face was unreadable, “Sure,” she replied, and gestured to Lev and Yara to stay there. Owen led her down the road away from earshot of them. He stopped by a large tree in the front yard of an old house, and turned and picked at his fingers nervously.</p><p>“What is it?” Abby asked. She sounded almost impatient, Owen wanted to chicken out, this was probably bad timing and he was screwing everything up.</p><p>“I just wanted to say that…”</p><p>
  <em> Don’t say I love you. Even if it’s true. Even if it’s so true it hurts whenever you think about it. Say ‘I care about you’ or anything else. </em>
</p><p>But Owen then looked at Abby, her brow furrowed, muscular arms crossed, beautiful blue-brown eyes staring back at him. He knew then she wasn’t really there in the moment with him, she had one foot out the door, a dozen thoughts running through her mind driving her five different ways. He knew that Abby well, and that he had to try, just <em> try </em> to get her to see the light again. If he got her to remember what matters again, maybe it’d change.</p><p>“I love you.” It hung in the air when Owen said it.</p><p>“What?” Abby looked caught off-guard, her eyes widened, brows together. <em> Good, please just listen to me. </em></p><p>“I love you, Abigail. I always have, always will. Maybe that’s my fatal flaw that’s screwed me over a few times, but it’s true. I get it if you don’t feel the same way anymore or don’t want to get into it right now, but I just needed to say it before we get to the address. Because if the lead doesn’t work out and you just decide to take them and leave me I-“ Owen’s voice broke and he trailed off, biting his lip. Owen  remembered watching Mel leave the Aquarium for the last time, his fault completely, now he had probably just continued to fuck everything up. He felt like a failure.</p><p>“Owen…” Abby looked pained. It was fine if she didn’t feel the same anymore, but it would hurt so badly. </p><p>Owen tried to make an out for her. “Like I said it’s just how I feel. I just don’t want us to split apart. Not after everything. I just think this isn’t the past anymore, it’s a fresh start. We could be happy, for real. I don’t want to rush you or anything, but I needed to tell you.”</p><p>Half of him was screaming at himself to touch her, the other half was telling himself to leave it. Owen reached out for her hand anyway and Abby looked at him again, face conflicted.</p><p>Abby brought herself to words finally. “I just… need more time to think about it. I think we’re different people now, so it’s not just gonna be like old times. I just want stability for these kids first before I dive into anything like that." </p><p>She glanced up at him. "I- care about you too though, otherwise I wouldn’t have even come to find you back in Seattle, right?” She must have tacked that on the end to make him feel less hopeless. Owen nodded and forced a smile, letting her go. Maybe she didn’t realize, but the way she brushed him off felt daggers in his chest. They turned wordlessly back to where Lev and Yara were.</p><p>Lev and Yara were sitting on some rocks by the roadside waiting for them.</p><p>“What’d you talk about?” asked Lev.</p><p>Abby rubbed the back of her head. “Nothing. Mind your business,” she said defensively. Lev side eyed Yara, who motioned with her head to get up and follow them.</p><p>The rest of the journey to 2425 Constance was awkwardly quiet, and for once Owen was actually hoping to run into some infected to break up the tension. He tried to not act utterly deflated but it was hard, all those things he’d done because he loved Abby. If the Fireflies were really gone and Abby decided she was over him, what was even the point anymore?</p><p> </p><p>“2425 Constance… there.” pointed Abby.</p><p>That’s the address the trader had given them, it was for a small, nondescript yellow house. The area already seemed quiet, not a great sign. The four went inside, and Owen grew very nervous and excited, but upon entering it still seemed empty. None of them seemed to want to accept that fact though yet.</p><p>Owen ducked in all the rooms checking the cabinets and closets, but it all seemed untouched in twenty years. <em> Fuck. Please be here, please. </em> Owen could hear Abby and Yara in the living room.</p><p>“Maybe it was bad information,” said Yara.</p><p>“I believe that info, the trader said... There has to be something here.” responded Abby, and Owen heard her move the couch. </p><p>“Hey, what about these scratches?” called Lev. Owen rushed to where Lev called, Abby and Yara were already on their way over. Sure enough, there were scratches in the floorboards of the wood.</p><p>“That’s gotta be it.” said Owen, his heartbeat picking up. “Hey Abs, let’s push this.”</p><p>The duo got on opposite sides and pushed the bookcase over the scratched floorboards, revealing a passageway into the cellar. They all looked at each other and headed down the stairs. Owen went first, then Abby and Lev and Yara. Owen opened the cellar door and flipped on his flashlight, but immediately it was evident no one had been there for a while. His stomach sunk a bit, but at least there weren't people in there waiting to attack them either. </p><p>“Let’s look around,” Owen encouraged, this still looked like it had been a Firefly base. There were beds and old supplies, people had been here once. Maybe that was promising.</p><p>They all looked around the cellar looking for clues of any whereabouts of this base’s inhabitants.</p><p>“I think they had power here,” said Abby, looking at a dead radio on a desk.</p><p>“Here,” replied Owen, spotting the switch on the wall and moving to turn it on. The room flooded with light.</p><p>“Oh, wow,” said Lev, blinking at the light and looking around the room. It was definitely an undercover base at one time.</p><p>Owen turned around and headed towards Abby, he heard her at the radio and trying to use it.</p><p>“Is this frequency currently in use?” she asked tentatively. She stopped and looked at Owen. “Do you see a call sign anywhere?” </p><p>Owen quickly rummaged through the desk. Lev and Yara came over as well, standing a few feet back. Abby tried to call again. “This is Abby from Santa Barbara. Can anyone hear me? Standing by.”</p><p>Owen found a call list under the map nearby. This was potentially big. “It’s here, Abs.”</p><p>Abby tentatively took the list from him, and smiled nervously, “Alright then. Okay, here goes.”</p><p>“Do you want me to do it?” Owen asked gently.</p><p>“No, no I can,” Abby replied, typing the first code.</p><p>“Is this frequency currently in use?” she tried, no response.</p><p>Abby punched in the next code and tried again, still no response.</p><p>“They’re gonna be there. I know they are.” Owen murmured and reached out for Abby’s shoulder, not sure if he was trying to convince her or himself. What if he led them here for nothing? He could hear Lev whisper to Yara and them shift nervously in his peripheral view. The numbers left to call dwindled.</p><p>“Is this frequency still in use, hello? This is Abby from Santa Barbara. Can anyone hear me? Please answer.”</p><p>That was the last number. Was it over? Each second that went by with no answer seemed to cut through Owen’s hopes like a knife. <em> The problem with being a fucking optimist is getting your hopes up for nothing. </em></p><p>“Hi Abby. We got a clear signal on you. Where in Santa Barbara are you calling from?” </p><p>They all jumped up in shock. Owen could hardly believe it. <em> Holy fuck. </em></p><p>Abby scrambled to get out words. “2425 Constance! We got a tip about a base, but there’s no one here. We’re looking for Fireflies. We’re Fireflies.”</p><p>“I’m Owen Moore, I’m also a Firefly.” added Owen, his heart was pounding out of his chest.</p><p>“Where were you stationed?” said the voice over the radio.</p><p>“We were part of the Salt Lake outpost.” continued Abby.</p><p>There was a pause. “Who ran that facility?”</p><p>Flashed in Owen’s mind came the memory. Owen and Manny had rushed to the operating room but Doc was already dead. Owen had immediately thought of Abby and how he needed to protect her, protect her from seeing her father like that. But just seconds later Abby was there too, and he had failed. He’d gripped her in his arms and tried to stop her, but the damage was done and the damage had been monumental.</p><p>“Dr. Jerry Anderson. He was my dad.” answered Abby, her voice shook a little, and Owen gave her shoulder a slightly squeeze.</p><p>The radio voice sounded impressed, “Well how about that. We pulled everyone back from the satellite stations and brought them back here to home base.” </p><p>“How many of you are there?” asked Owen.</p><p>“We’re about… two hundred strong right now. With a few more every month” said the radio.</p><p>That was amazing. Abby and Owen grinned at each other. <em> Holy shit. The Fireflies were really regrouping. They actually found them. It was going to work out. </em></p><p>He saw Abby’s eyes began to well . He wanted to cry too and maybe gloat. “Told you so.” He murmured softly. Abby smirked at him and gave him a soft punch. </p><p>She then turned her attention back to the radio. “You’re about to get four more. How do we find you?”</p><p>“Get to Catalina Island. Approach the large domed building in Avalon. We’ll find you.”</p><p>“Okay,” said Abby with a shaking breath, “Okay we’ll see you soon. Over and out.”</p><p>The man on the radio replied, “Looking forward to it. Good luck Abby and Owen from Santa Barbara. Over and out.”</p><p>Lev let out a cheer and excitedly shook Yara, who was beaming. Owen swore he’d never felt this excited and happy in his life. He was grinning ear to ear and when he looked at her, as was Abby. It had been a long time since he’d seen her smile like that. “We fucking found them.” He said before pulling her into a tight hug. </p><p>“Yeah. You were right for once,” Abby murmured into his shoulder and gripping him tightly as well. They were nearly knocked over by Lev running up them and hugging them both, and Yara joined in too. They all laughed and reveled in the moment for a little. Owen was overjoyed, he didn’t need to worry about the split up anymore. The Fireflies were really out there and they knew where to find them!</p><p>“Okay, okay, everyone,” said Abby, shooing everybody off. “We should get back to the boat and head to Catalina Island.”</p><p>“Fuck yeah,” said Lev and Owen couldn’t help but snort laughter at that. It was just so jolting to see that little Seraphite kid swear.</p><p>“Sorry.” Owen apologized, and Abby shook her head with a smile and gestured them to the door.</p><p>Abby led the way out and Lev caught up next to her. “I can’t believe you guys were right,” said Lev. “Now we’re gonna meet the Fireflies.” </p><p>Owen was still riding this high. The Fireflies were two hundred strong and all four of them were going together to meet them! Owen gazed at Abby’s back as she walked with some bounce in her step, Lev close behind. They reached the garage where they’d all first squeezed in, Abby went through first.</p><p>Then everything shifted in tone as he heard a crash and her cry out.</p><p>Owen immediately jumped into action mode. He saw Lev scramble outside through the door after Abby. Yara ran up as well, but Owen put a hand on her holding her back. “Cover us from back here,” he urged, and then slipped outside, gun drawn.</p><p>He immediately sensed someone to his side and ducked, a man with a bat came swinging at him. Owen backed up several feet, trying to get a hold of the situation. Abby was thrashing on the ground as a woman and another man struggled to keep her down. “I’ve got a gun to your head bitch, want to lose it?” Owen heard the man hiss as they brought out rope to tie her wrists. </p><p>Owen looked away for too long because the man with the bat was upon him and he felt it hit him in the shoulder. The shock was so great his grip on his pistol loosened, and the man followed it up with another hit to his chest. Owen felt his gun slip out of his hand, but instead of taking the next hit of the bat the man was setting up, Owen ducked and threw himself into the smaller man, sending him backwards. The man with the bat stumbled back a few feet, then jolted, an arrow appearing through his neck. <em> Lev! </em>Owen thought. The man grasped at it, feeling the puncture before collapsing.</p><p>The woman on Abby then turned to Lev, jumping and grabbing him, ripping the bow from his hands. Owen scrambled to get his pistol and when he’d looked up, Yara was there, pulling the woman off Lev. Owen moved towards the man that was holding down Abby with his pistol drawn, when a large man came into view and yanked Yara off the woman. </p><p>At the same time, Owen sensed the man on Abby turn his attention toward him. Owen looked down at them, his stomach lurched at the sight of Abby’s face bleeding from being hit. The attacker had his knee on her back, trying to keep her down, and moved his pistol off her head and to the direction of Owen. Abby rocked on the ground trying to set the man off balance. Owen let off a shot, shooting the man in the shoulder. The man shot back and missed, Owen let off two more quick shots, one missed, and the other hit the man through the cheek and the man slumped on top of Abby. </p><p>He only had one bullet left. <em> Fuck, I traded too many of them. </em>Owen glanced over to Lev and Yara and it didn’t seem too good. The woman holding Lev was bleeding from knife wounds apparently caused by Yara, but Yara was now on the ground, being kicked by the large attacker. She was shouting in alarm, trying to avoid the man’s legs as he seemed to be almost toying with her.</p><p>“What happened to your arm, little girl?” taunted the man, before landing a kick to Yara’s head and she went out cold. Owen felt outrage boil and let off shots at him, but the man jerked at the last second and the bullet only hit his arm. The gun clicked empty and Owen swore. Suddenly the large man rushed him, slamming Owen in the chest with his elbow. Owen hit the ground hard and rolled unto his stomach, he looked up to see the woman still having a hold on Lev, her arms bleeding from knife cuts, though she now had the small blade and it was on Lev’s throat.</p><p>“I’ve got the little one pinned with my knife!” she shouted to the large man and as a threat to them. She sneered at Owen and dared him to come at her. “Stay the fuck down pretty boy, or I’ll spray his blood everywhere.”</p><p>Owen looked over to the large man, who had turned and gone to where Abby was. She was struggling with her hands tied behind her back, trying to get free. Owen was afraid to try anything with the woman still holding Lev and he didn’t have any guns nearby with bullets in them. </p><p>The large man was able to hold Abby down by himself, which was no small feat. “Look at the arms on this beast!” The man boomed. “Shame about Eric and Jason, but these four I think will make some mighty fine entertainment. Just look at the meat on this broad. You are a broad, right?” the man asked Abby as she struggled against him.</p><p>“Eat shit and die!” spat Abby. The man responded by pinning her face down with one hand, and groping her chest with the other.</p><p>The man leaned close and leered at her, “You call this here a tit?” </p><p>Owen was filled with outrage, “Get your fucking hands off her!” he shouted, getting halfway off the ground. Abby promptly turned her head and bit down on the large man’s hand. He yelled out and hit Abby in the face, dazing her. Owen was seeing red, he had to fucking do something.</p><p>“That’s enough now, bitch. You’ll get it later for that.” The large attacker roughly turned her over as Abby thrashed on the ground, he took a bandana off his wrist and tied it in her mouth to gag her.</p><p>Owen decided to take a chance, he sprung up towards the woman and Lev. She tensed as he came at them, and Owen grabbed and spun them. Owen grabbed at the woman’s bleeding arms and pulled them apart. Trying to slip out of her grip, Lev gasped as the blade of her knife nicked his neck as he tumbled out. He fell a few steps back, grasping the bleeding cut. Owen had the woman’s wrist with one hand and twisted it as he punched her in the jaw and then slammed her into the garage door. Her grip around the knife loosened and Owen pried it from her fingers, then jabbing it in and then out of her neck. Blood spilled from the wound and sprayed onto Owen's hand and shirt as he pulled away. The woman’s body collapsed to the dirt.</p><p>Owen looked down, Lev was then crawling to Yara who was hopefully not too badly hurt, Owen had barely time to think before he was pushed to the ground once more. The large attacker had tackled him, and proceeded to hit him in the stomach with one hand as he pinned him down with the other. Owen gripped the knife with bloodied hands and began to stab the man in the side with it.</p><p>“Stupid motherfucker!” the man swore, switching hands, one hand now on Owen’s neck and the other prying the knife from Owen’s grasp. <em> Shit, </em> thought Owen as the man tossed away the knife and put both hands on Owen’s neck, choking him. This guy was heavier and stronger than him, how was he going to get him off? Owen’s thoughts started to blur in his mind as he thrashed against the man. The strangulation was happening fast. <em> I remember the first time I saw you. Your hair was so short in its golden little braid. I caught your eye and got you to smile and it was the prettiest thing I’d ever seen. Can you blame me for wanting to keep seeing it..? Can you blame me for falling in love then and there....? </em>Owen’s thoughts blurred into a white light.</p><p>Then the hands were gone, and Owen lurched and gasped for breath. “<em> Fuck!” </em> he rasped out in between coughing. His windpipe didn’t seem broken at least. </p><p>Owen leaned over and coughed and gasped for air, he was vaguely aware of fighting going on behind him and struggled to watch through his tear-filled eyes. Abby was just getting up off of the large man’s body, her hands freed. Lev was holding the knife now and it looked as though the man’s throat had been cut by him. <em> Teamwork </em>, thought Owen, still in serious pain.</p><p>Lev rushed to get up from the ground and went to Yara. He’d had called out to her and she’d responded with a weak voice. She was okay then, hopefully. </p><p>Abby came up to him and suddenly his chest and face and neck didn’t hurt so much anymore. <em> Funny </em>.</p><p>Abby knelt down to him and pulled the gag that was in her mouth over her head, smearing some blood from a new cut on her cheek.</p><p>Owen reached for her hand, “You okay?” he rasped out.</p><p>“Am I okay?” repeated Abby, her brows scrunched together. “You were three seconds away from being a goner.”</p><p>Owen touched his neck, <em> God it hurt to talk. </em>“Yeah, that wasn’t as fun as when you used to do it,” he managed out, coughing a bit more.</p><p>Abby rolled her eyes but he could tell she was amused, “Here, I’ll help you up,” said Abby, almost cradling him in her strong arms as she half lifted him up. Owen winced, his torso and shoulders had taken a beating.</p><p>Lev was by Yara, who was sitting up but rubbing the side of her head. Lev’s shirt had a bloodstain from his cut, he’d probably need stitches. </p><p>“Yara, Lev, are you two alright, can you walk?” asked Abby, still holding unto Owen.</p><p>“I think I’m fine, though my head is swelling a little,” replied Yara.</p><p>Abby nodded, “Okay, because I think we should all get out of here and back to the boat before more arrive. We can patch ourselves up there.” That sounded good to Owen, he didn’t want to run into any more of those guys. Abby let go of him and Owen reached down to collect the discarded pistols, both were empty though.</p><p>They all gathered themselves and set off cautiously down the street towards the sailboat, hyper aware of any noise or ambushes. Luckily they weren’t running into anyone. When they’d reached a safe, definitely deserted area, Owen found it okay to joke again.</p><p>“Well that certainly was a mood killer, wasn’t it?"</p><p>
  
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  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Owen's such a simp in this chapter lmao...  Also as you can see he's getting his joke on now that things are a little less weird and life or death... hell yeah 😎<br/>Also, Yara will get a POV just not yet I got certain parts for certain character's it'll come though.</p>
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<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Reaching Avalon</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Abby and the group dress their wounds and set out for Avalon, what will the Fireflies be like when they finally meet them?</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Sorry for the wait but you get a long chapter to make up for it. Much happens. I also start introducing OC's, I personally don't like OC's in fanfics but I kind of need them for this one, so I'll be naming and introducing some reappearing ones, but I won't name like every Firefly because no one would remember all of them...<br/>Also sorry if things are a bit too good to be true, my brain can't comprehend the intactness of sewage systems and societal consequences of living on an island after the apocalypse, I'm trying to make it a bit easier for everyone.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
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</p><p>Having to patch up after a fight was something Abby was no stranger to. She couldn’t even remember when exactly she got the medium sized cut on her cheek, maybe it was from having her face slammed into the ground, but either way it needed stitches. Both she and Lev needed stitches, and Abby fixed the cut on Lev’s lower neck first before she worked on herself. She was going to do it herself but Owen insisted on helping her.</p><p>“I’ve got steady hands, you don’t want to have to stitch yourself,” Owen told her as she sat for him to do it, his hands gently cradled her face as he used the needle.</p><p>“I’ve done it before and I have steady hands, too,” Abby had her fair share of small cuts she’d needed to patch up after a Scar fight. She was pretty good at avoiding getting severely hurt in fights though. At least she was better than Owen at doing that.</p><p>“I know you do, but normally you go to the medical tent for that, and now I’m the medical tent.” Abby snorted and moved her head, needle still in her cheek. “We’re kinda fucked if you’re the medical tent, Dr. Moore.”</p><p>Owen scoffed and grabbed hold of her head again, “Oh, shut up. Hold still or I’ll have to stitch up even more.”</p><p>Owen finished his needlework, and was left with just the thread. Abby had bit off Lev’s thread but now was the awkward moment to see if Owen was going to bite off her thread or go rummage around in the cabinet for the scissors.</p><p>“Um, I’ll go get-” It seemed like scissors was the choice because Owen had halfway stood up. </p><p>Abby shook her head, “Just bite it off it’s fine.”</p><p>“Okay, if you’re cool with it,” replied Owen, sitting back down. He leaned in close and put the thread between his teeth, his stubble scratched up against her. When he bit it off, his lips grazed her cheek. It reminded her a lot of when they were younger, when they sneak off on their own and he’d hold her in an embrace, giving her dozens kisses on the cheek until she shouted to stop. </p><p>“Thanks,” Abby told him, as he moved back. She caught herself smiling a little and when she looked over at Lev on the other seats, he had on a smug face and then looked away. <em> Great. Little jerk thinks he knows it all, but he doesn’t. </em></p><p>Abby turned back to Owen, “You need any medical help?”</p><p>“Maybe like a liver or kidney transplant after mine got all mashed up, but uh, it’s mostly bruises for me that’ll heal eventually, so no. But thanks, Abs. Besides, I need to get to sailing this ship again, we have a new destination!” Owen got up and tried to hide a wince but Abby still caught it. That fight had been brutal and way too close. That’s what she got for letting her guard down for even a minute. She almost got them all killed, or in this case captured by those brutish Hunters. Owen went up to get the sails ready, the boat was anchored a little ways out on the sea while they fixed each other up. Abby glanced in the cabin where Yara was resting with a wet towel over the lump on her head. Hopefully she wasn’t in much pain, Yara said she felt better laying down.</p><p>Owen finished with the sails and came back to the deck. “Lev, you can bring the anchor up now,” Owen told him, and he stationed himself at the wheel.</p><p>“You know which direction to go, right?” Abby asked him. They’d already discussed it and found Santa Catalina Island on a few of their maps.</p><p>“Yeah, just down the coast some more and then once we spot it we’ll head further out in sea,” said Owen. Lev finished pulling up the anchor and Abby felt the sailboat start to move. It seemed to be going smoothly, they just needed a few more days on the sea.</p><p>Owen cleared his throat, “So uh, thanks you two for saving my ass back there.”</p><p>Abby gestured at Lev and smiled, “Lev’s a quick thinker, he cut me free first because it was too dangerous to take on that guy alone. We just hit him both at once.” She looked at Owen now, feeling sheepish, “But yeah, of course you’re welcome.”</p><p>Owen looked sincere, “Well, I appreciate it nonetheless.” There was a pause, “Yeah it was kinda close there. I was about to be able to have a rematch with Manny at beer pong.”</p><p>What he was implying didn’t quite hit Abby at first, then she realized and guffawed. “That’s a sick joke, Owen. I ought to break the rest of your ribs for that.”</p><p>Owen shied away from Abby a few steps, “Geez! Okay, sorry. My tasteless jokes are a coping mechanism, I’m sorry. I’ll go back to shutting up and steering”</p><p> </p><p>These last couple days on the sea felt like a victory lap, though because they were all in a bit of pain, maybe they weren’t as merry as they could have been. Abby could feel quite a few bruises though, and the cut on her cheek bothered her when she talked much. At least when Yara was done resting they all were able to socialize and do activities a bit more freely. </p><p>Part of Yara’s head was discolored from being hit, and when Owen had gone in the cabin to change shirts, Abby suppressed a gasp when she peered through the broken door and saw how bruised he was. </p><p>“<em> Just when you thought you couldn’t look worse with your shirt off </em>,” she heard Owen mumble to himself through the door. That hit her with a pang of guilt. Abby thought scars were a thing to be proud of almost, but when Owen had been hurt badly by that molotov, she’d detached herself from him. It had been too hard to see him like that at the time. But by distancing herself, she ended up hurting him so much worse and they broke up a few months later.</p><p>Checking the map, they figured the next day they’d make it to Catalina island, though they’d have to sail down the coast of it a bit to get to the town of Avalon, where the Firefly base apparently was. </p><p>They’d read their last books, done their last puzzles and started organizing and prepping for the morning. Even though it was a decent night out, Abby suggested they all sleep in the cabin that night. She just felt like they should all be together. Owen didn’t object, maybe he anticipated cuddling or something from her, but Abby wasn’t sure that was the right move. Even if she kind of wanted to do that, what she needed was to feel grounded. She felt guilty seeing Owen trying to cover up the fact he was still in pain, both from his injuries and from her brushing off his confession of love for her. Not to mention Abby was also still shook from their close call outside of 2425 Constance. She’d found herself giving Lev pats on the shoulders more often, holding Yara’s hand when she went to check on her, touching Owen’s arm when she talked to him. It just made her feel better to actually touch them and remind herself they were all really there, and it wasn’t all just a dream.</p><p>When Lev and Yara were in the bed for the night, Abby went and adjusted their blanket and took the damp cloth off Yara’s head. The way Abby sat on the edge of the bed reminded her of how her dad used to do it. When she was little he’d make sure she was safe for the night, tell her he loved her, maybe tell her a story. Abby even had a few memories of her mom doing that too, but that was a long time ago when she was very little and her memories of her mother were fading. Now, the ones of her father were as well.</p><p>“We’re gonna meet the Fireflies tomorrow, for real this time. Are you guys ready?”<br/>Lev and Yara nodded their heads and affirmed yes to her, they looked so childlike and small tucked in the blanket. Abby was really glad to have met them and hopefully do this good thing for them. She felt her eyes begin to well.</p><p>“You okay, Abby?” asked Lev.</p><p>“Yeah, yeah. I’m just happy,” replied Abby, a bit embarrassed and wiping away her tears. “Okay let’s all get some sleep for the big day tomorrow.”</p><p>Abby got up and spread out the blankets on the floor for her and Owen. Owen came in for the night as well and got ready as well. Abby had planned on just laying there, listening to her companions breathe until she fell asleep. That’s what she did but in the morning, inevitably, she found herself entangled with Owen. This time they were on their sides with her as the big spoon, her arm draped over him. Abby gingerly moved herself off when she noticed this and rolled over, hoping if she’d try to sleep for a few more minutes, no one would notice.</p><p> </p><p>Later that morning they’d all sat themselves on the seats of the sailboat, watching as Catalina Island grew closer and closer. Abby watched as the low sun glimmered off the ripples of the ocean. Her stomach was in such knots she couldn’t eat anything for breakfast or she might be sick. Abby peered over at Lev and Yara who were seated next to each other, it was good Yara seemed well enough to sit herself up, but she definitely didn’t seem to be in completely good health from her sunken expression. Hopefully the Fireflies had good doctors, she probably had a concussion or something similar.</p><p>They reached the coast of Catalina Island and began sailing down the beaches of the island. They all kept their eyes out for the big domed building, so far it was a mountainous, green rocky island. Abby checked the map, the town of Avalon and domed building should be coming around soon.</p><p>Then looking up again and leaning a bit, she saw it. Abby gasped and Lev and Yara scrambled to the other side of the boat to catch sight of it as well. “It’s there,” she murmured, already feeling a bit emotional. Lev was perched on the seat beside her, she glanced at him and he had a look of awe on his face. Both of them had on that look of excited astonishment only kids get. Feeling a wave of affection, Abby put her hand on Lev’s shoulder and gave it a squeeze before staring back out at the buildings in the distance. </p><p>After a moment, Abby got up and headed towards Owen, who was at the wheel steering the boat. His expression was serious, his brows together. Abby wasn’t quite sure why he wasn’t jumping up and down like the rest of them. Maybe he was nervous.</p><p>Abby took a seat next to him. “I think I see a dock at the end of the harbor. There’s boats there already.”</p><p>“I’ll try and get us in there. Maybe there will be a welcoming party.” He said it dryly. Abby was wondering why Owen seemed reserved, she put a hand on his forearm and he tensed up.</p><p>“Hey, what are you thinking?” she asked her old friend softly. </p><p>Owen’s eyes flitted down to her hand and he bit his lip. “Just nervous. About what’s going to happen next.” He looked in her eyes now and softened a bit when he saw her concern. “But we’re all here together though, so we’ll get through it.”</p><p>As they approached the dock, they spotted a group of six coming out to meet them. </p><p>“That must be them,” said Abby, heart quickening. She recognized the bullet proof vests from a ways away. <em> Holy shit. </em>Abby turned to Lev and Yara. “We’ll talk to them and get this squared away.”</p><p>Owen attempted to lightly steer the boat towards the dock, Lev had the rope to tie it ready, but Owen wasn’t the most trained captain and he hit the boat into the dock embarrassingly roughly and they all nearly fell over.</p><p>“<em>Fuck.</em> Sorry, sorry!” He apologized, steering it close again, and Lev threw the rope to bring them in. Abby leaned over to look at the group of standing Fireflies fifty feet away, waiting patiently for them. At first glance she didn’t recognize any of them, which was unfortunate.</p><p>“Why don’t you folks all come on down and state your business for us please,” came a friendly sounding, low voice. It might have been the same one from the radio.</p><p>The boat had stilled and Abby turned behind her and motioned to Lev and Yara with a hand gesture. She began to step out of the boat unto the dock and could sense Owen following behind her closely. They all stood beside the boat, Abby and Owen in front with Lev and Yara behind them, Lev had grasped Yara’s one hand.</p><p>Abby looked at the squad of Fireflies before her, it reminded her of when her and her dad arrived at St. Mary’s and they’d come out to greet them. “I’m Abigail Anderson, number 000465,” she stated.</p><p>Owen stood tall beside her, “Owen Moore, number 000428.” He turned slightly to gesture behind him, “This is Lev and Yara.” Owen faced back and pointed to himself and Abby, “We were in the Salt Lake division, then fled to Seattle with some others when that went down. We heard rumors of the Fireflies regrouping and decided to come and find you all again.”</p><p>The man in front who had called out to them seemed to be the leader. He had brown salt-and-pepper hair, and a trimmed beard covered his square jaw. </p><p>“Yes, I believe we talked over the radio,” said the man. He turned to a brown skinned younger man with long hair tied back in a bun and a full beard. “Edward, you were in Salt Lake too, you remember this lot?”</p><p><em> Edward. Edward, who was that? </em>Then Abby remembered him. He went by Eddie back at St. Mary's, he was also a new recruit. Abby was never really friends with him but she’d seen him around when the younger Fireflies all would hang out. He didn’t have a beard back then. Eddie had decided to go off with another Firefly group after the incident. Abby may have not known him very well, but just seeing someone she knew was about to bring her to tears.</p><p>“Eddie?” she asked him. </p><p>Eddie inspected her and Owen up and down, nodding. “Well, they look a lot different. Abby was this skinny little girl before and Owen looks like he’s seen some shit, but yeah. That’s them.”</p><p>Owen spoke up then, “Holy shit, dude. Is there anyone else from Salt Lake here?” Owen might have known Eddie a bit better than her.</p><p>“Yeah,” said Eddie, “a good few. They’ll be ecstatic to see you two.”</p><p>“Alrighty then, identity vouched for,” said the leader. “I take it those two in back are going to be some new recruits?”</p><p>Abby turned and put her hand on Lev’s shoulder and Owen took a step to the side. “Yes,” replied Abby, not sure how to describe how the two came under her guardianship in a succinct way. “They traveled with us from Seattle.”</p><p>“Well, that’s good. Even better if they can fight, we need as many good bodies as we can. Name’s Craig Everson by the way. It’s Everson if you’re on duty and Craig if we’re not. Let’s get you guys back to base. Get you all some medical attention, a shower, a tour, then we can sit down and you can tell us your stories.”</p><p>Abby’s heart leapt a bit, “A shower? Yeah we could all use one.”</p><p>“We have working plumbing and electricity on most of the island!” boasted Everson.</p><p>The four gathered their packs with their necessities they’d packed, they’d come back for the rest later. They were going down the coast just a bit to the island’s visitor center to meet some more heads in charge and get welcomed. </p><p>A nurse was there at the welcome building and assessed all of them. She cleared Abby and Lev, but told Owen and Yara they should go to the Medical Center down the street for more care. Also there was a woman named Maggie in charge of keeping track of who came and went on the island, as well as where they lived. There were plenty of houses on the island that were open and people had begun to move into them.</p><p>Apparently, there had also been next to no Infected on the island when the Fireflies had gotten there. There had been bodies and graves yes, but it was mostly deserted. The island had been inhabited for over a decade after the outbreak, but eventually more and more people left or died, Maggie said they weren’t really sure. Now for a few years actually it had been overtaken by the Fireflies. There were just now moving more people there.</p><p>The houses were all in mostly decent shape, and they’d gotten the sewage and power to work on the island. Maggie was very happy to meet them and excited that more members from Salt Lake were there. She apparently knew Jerry and Marlene, but hadn’t seen them for over ten years, hence Abby’s lack of knowledge of her. Abby was still happy to meet the woman though, and upon requesting she stay with Yara and Lev, Maggie assigned them to 328 Clarissa Ave, a street where many Fireflies were staying. It was close to the City Hall where they had smaller meetings, and to the Medical Center. Maggie asked if Owen wanted to stay with them as well, it was a three bedroom house. She looked expectantly at them two then, not sure if they were a couple or not.</p><p>Owen spoke up awkwardly. “We’re uh, not together. But if there’s an open house nearby that’d be great for me.” </p><p>It was a weird thought, they could all have their space now. Maggie checked her records on her clipboard, ‘There’s an open house right next to it, number 326, that sound okay?” <em> Next door neighbors, huh? </em></p><p>Owen looked at her as if asking if she we’re okay with it. Abby nodded. If she was honest, she didn’t want him far away.</p><p>They had their living arrangements squared away, and every person received a gift basket with some fruit and food in it, as well as toiletries like towels and soap. “We have clothing dispensaries you all can look at once you’re settled,” said Maggie. Lev wanted to go with Yara and Owen to the Medical Center, so they three piled on a golf cart headed there, driven by another Firefly. Abby got on a separate one with all the baskets. She was told to clean up and get more comfortable, then meet Everson at City Hall. </p><p>The Firefly, a young woman named Judith, drove Abby down the street. She was quiet which was nice because Abby felt a bit out of her body watching the quaint, small houses and buildings go by. It was an adorable little town. Having the buildings filled up, it could be safer than Jackson even. A couple of Fireflies peeked out and watched their golf carts drive on by. Abby was excited to go and meet them all, but for now though she just had to get acclimated a little. Her head was spinning. They arrived in front of 326 and 328 Clarissa Ave, and Abby’s cart came to a stop. Owen, Yara, and Lev’s driver continued down the street to taking them to the Medical Center. Abby watched them go and lifted up all the baskets in her arms.</p><p>“You need help?” asked Judith, but Abby had it. She left Owen’s basket by his front door, a tan colored beach house next to hers, a pale blue house each with their own balcony. Abby opened the door and found herself in a remarkably well preserved, though a bit dusty, house. Abby peeked around the kitchen and living room before heading upstairs. On the second floor was a bathroom with a tub and shower, a room that looked like an office, and two bedrooms. There was a decently sized children’s bedroom with two single beds, perfect for Lev and Yara. Abby set their welcome baskets on each of their beds. She went to the master bedroom and it was lit up in the morning sun. It was furnished, the vanity still had the past owner’s old makeup and magazines on it. The bed had been made though it looked like it hadn’t been touched in ten years. Abby turned the corner and found the master bedroom’s own bathroom, also with a tub and shower and artfully tiled walls. </p><p>Abby put down her basket and turned on the sink, half expecting it to not work, or for sludge to come out. For a second there was nothing, but then it sputtered out, clear water.</p><p>“Holy shit,” said Abby. There really was working plumbing on the island.</p><p>Abby was trying to contain her excitement at the thought of a shower. She turned on the shower head, it squealed for a few seconds as water went through it. After a little while she tested the water and it was actually getting warm. <em> This must be a dream, </em> thought Abby. She went back in the bedroom to find some clothes to change into, and found a mix of the old owners’ and her packed clothes to wear. Then, she picked out the soap, shampoo, and towel from the welcome basket the Fireflies had put together and set them up. </p><p>Abby was happy she had alone time to enjoy this, she kind of needed it. </p><p>Using her slightly trembling fingers Abby undid her braid, which seemed stuck in place from the grease of not having a proper clean in months. Stripping off her sea weathered and a bit musty smelling clothes, Abby entered the shower. As the warm water hit her skin she couldn’t help but let out a moan, it felt really fucking good. She put in the shampoo and relished the sensation of having a clean, sudsy scalp. Slowly working through her long hair, she washed her body fully with the heavenly soap and water.</p><p>The feeling brought her back to when she’d had her first shower at the WLF’s base after she and the Fireflies had spent weeks walking from Salt Lake to Seattle. When she’d finally gotten to lather up in that pine soap, all her tension broke and it was like her troubles had washed away. At least it felt that way for a little bit. She’d actually been pretty upbeat afterwards, she wasn’t brooding or inconsolable like she’d been on the road. She was relieved, excited to meet their new group. Abby remembers that same night, some of the Fireflies had to sleep in a bigger common sleeping area, and some got temporary smaller dorms. Abby had volunteered to share a small dorm with Owen even though it’d only had a single twin bed. Everyone knew they were a couple now anyway. Abby remembered a lot about that day. They’d all eaten a big dinner because they were all starving, then Abby had introduced herself to dozens of people and started friendships with some from then on. She remembered that shower most of all and after seeing her own naked body fully for the first time after weeks of wear and walking. She had been skinny, lost some baby fat, but her legs were hard with muscle. Abby remembered she decided to shave her legs that day just because she was happy to get to see them again after so long. That night she wore soft sleep shorts to bed and crawled into the little single bed with Owen, then he’d grinned at her and wrapped his arms around her and asked her how her day was, and his stubble scratched her cheek when he’d given her a kiss there. Abby had said her day was the best she’d had in a while. She’d then brought her knees to her chest and Owen had traced his finger on her bare legs for the first time ever, and Abby remembered he’d smelled like pine soap too.</p><p>Abby snapped out of it, she’d been scrubbing the same place in circles for a good minute and there was no soap left on her sponge. Setting it down, she rinsed out her conditioner and turned off the shower, getting into the towel. Abby was feeling like her basic needs had been met now, she could go and talk with Everson. Though she could also use a hot meal whenever that would be available.</p><p>Abby dried off and dressed, she fit pretty well into what seemed to be the husband who had lived in this house’s old pants and shirt. When she felt good to go, Abby set off outside down the street to the City Hall. She didn’t want to keep Everson waiting.</p><p>The building was only a few minutes walk, the town was quite small. Abby entered the lobby and saw a Firefly who seemed very enthusiastic to meet her, and gestured her to where Everson was. Turning a corner she found him in an office, going over some papers. He stood when he saw her and shook her hand. “Ah, Abby. I see your new residence’s plumbing works.”</p><p>Abby sat in a chair across the desk, “It does, very well actually. It was a real treat to have a hot shower, thank you for letting me do that first.”</p><p>Everson nodded, ‘Oh of course, I want you to be comfortable before you tell me your story. Do you need a snack before lunch?”</p><p>Abby didn’t really want a distraction right now and could wait on that, “Oh it’s okay, I’m good.”</p><p>“Alright then. I’ll have some boys help you unpack that boat of yours this afternoon. What kind of firepower you packing on there?” Everson brought out a pen and a sheet with columns on it.</p><p>“All together I think we have four pistols, an assault rifle, a shotgun, a crossbow, and a regular bow. Ammo is limited though,” said Abby, thinking of what they still had.</p><p>“Okay then, just trying to keep track of people’s personal weapons. Anyway, enough inventory. Abby Anderson. Abby? or Abigail?” Everson put down his pen and looked at her.</p><p>“Just Abby.” <em> Abs to some, and only Owen ever calls me Abigail. </em></p><p>“Jerry Anderson’s little girl. You know I knew him for a bit, met him back in ‘27 actually. Didn’t meet you though. He was quite the asset to the Fireflies, very respected. As was Marlene.”</p><p>Abby rubbed her lips together. She’d have to go through telling it all again. "Yeah, yeah they were good people.”</p><p>Everson leaned forward and spoke in a sympathetic voice, “I’m sorry for your loss, truly. If it isn’t too hard, do you mind telling me what your story is, from the beginning?”</p><p>Abby picked at her nails for a second, remembering her dad. The way he used to smile at her, the way he’d tease her, the way he’d make her feel proud of herself even if she felt like she’d done nothing to deserve it. The memory wasn’t painful anymore.</p><p>“Yes, I can do that.” </p><p> </p><p>Everson seemed moved by her account of the last few years and said he’d be glad to have Owen and her rejoin, as well as Lev and Yara after she vouched for all of them. After that she was dismissed and Abby was invited to the area where the Fireflies had set up their cafeteria. Funnily enough they had burritos for lunch that day. Apparently they’d brought some farm animals over the sea  to the island so they’d be able to sustain themselves agriculturally, it seemed like the Fireflies were aiming to make Avalon, the town on Catalina Island, self sustainable. However, they had bigger plans for the cause according to chatter Abby heard, they just needed time for it to take shape.</p><p>After that, some Fireflies she met helped Abby bring stuff off their sailboat and into her and Owen’s houses. When that was over with, they offered to give her a tour but Abby wanted to check in on everyone in the hospital. Lev was fine and just needed his scratches and cuts cleaned up, and Yara was discharged with a concussion and needed to take it easy. Her arm looked good according to them as well, it was healing.</p><p>Lev wanted to see the island, as did Yara. Abby wanted to check in with Owen first and have him come along as well, but he was still getting treated by the doctors. “Go on without me,” he’d said. “We’ll catch up later and I’ll have someone else give me a tour.” </p><p>Until sundown Abby, Lev, and Yara got a tour of the island from some eager Fireflies. They saw the streets of houses and old shops and parks and the inside of the domed building where they conducted big group meetings. Afterwards, the trio started moving into their new house, and Lev and Yara seemed very pleased with their new room and couldn’t wait to decorate. </p><p>Abby fit her books and things into empty areas in the house, trying to clean at the same time. Upon inspection of the book shelf she miraculously found <em> City of Thieves </em>, the book she was reading back at the stadium before it all went to shit and never got to finish.</p><p>Another treasure she found were some unopened wine bottles in a cupboard. Thinking today was as good a day as any to celebrate, she poured a glass. Just then, Abby saw the lights in Owen’s house light up, he must be back. </p><p>Abby went upstairs to the front second floor balcony of the house with her glass and sipped on it, gazing at the partially lit landscape. This place seemed to be on its way to being a real community. At that, she heard a light squeak of a door to her side, and spotted Owen coming onto his balcony as well, perhaps limping a bit less.</p><p>“Well I don’t think we’ve met yet. I’m Owen Moore, just arrived from Seattle with my other Firefly friend Abby Anderson and our companions Lev and Yara, how do you do?” Owen recited, coming over to the side of his balcony and reaching his hand out. It was a bit far too reach, and he dropped it down, and gave a mock defeated look. “Sorry, that was stupid. It’s just I said that like fifty times today.”</p><p>Abby grinned, “No, good one. I said something very similar today about fifty times as well.”</p><p>Owen sighed, “I think they like us, your talk with Everson go well?”</p><p>Abby nodded and took a sip of wine. “Yeah, told him the whole tale. He seemed more genuinely sympathetic and less manipulative than Isaac was when I had to tell him.”</p><p>“Well, that’s as good a start as any,” said Owen. “Everybody’s welcoming, we get our own houses with fucking working plumping. What more can we ask for?”</p><p>“Yeah,” said Abby, “We’re real lucky to be here. They’re going to want us to pitch in of course. Help along whatever plan it is they have to the future.”</p><p>“Any idea what that is?” asked Owen, putting a hand on his railing.</p><p>“Not really yet. I kinda hope it doesn’t have to do with a <em> cure </em> but I’m dreading it if it does,” Abby didn’t want to think of what happened at St. Mary’s again today, but that girl with the tattoo from Jackson floated back in her head.</p><p>“Yeah, I’d rather not track down that girl, either,” said Owen, reading her mind.</p><p>There was an awkward pause and Abby changed the subject, “What’d the doctors say, are you okay?”</p><p>Owen looked down, “Uh, yeah I guess. They took x-rays and I have a cracked rib and two bruised ones. I didn’t need surgery or anything, they gave me a few painkillers and told me to take it easy for a few weeks.”</p><p>“Okay,” said Abby softly. “Your neck okay, too?”</p><p>She could see Owen’s kind smile illuminated from their house lights, “Yeah my throat’s okay too. I can still tell my dumbass jokes to you for the foreseeable future.”</p><p>“Good,” she replied, hoping he couldn’t see the flush on her cheeks from the alcohol and mistake it for her blushing, because that was the reason her face had gotten warm.</p><p>Abby finished her glass and placed it down, she felt a little buzz. She looked up, Owen was up against his railing, like he wanted to get as close to her as he could. He had that look on his face he sometimes had on from the road from Salt Lake to Seattle. The empathetic one where it seemed like he felt her pain when she was hurting. Those times on the road he’d pull her close to him, hot even caring who saw or was there. The times when he did that Abby had to admit it made her feel better.</p><p>Owen gestured and the area between them, “This gap’s not that far between the balconies, you could jump over. Maybe my house’s old owner has booze stash too.”</p><p>Abby studied the gap, it wasn’t very far and looking down wasn’t too high up, though it was kind of high for her. Still, she shouldn’t. “Or I could just go downstairs and use the door,” Abby suggested.</p><p>Owen drummed the railing, “Yeah, or you could do that,” he said in a soft voice.</p><p><em> He really wants me to come over. I kind of want to too, but- </em> “I… ought to get to sleep. We’re going to go over some things with the guys up top tomorrow, then get trained some.” Abby felt like she disappointed herself when she said it, but she also felt it was the right choice. She shouldn’t rush things out of emotion. The memory flashed in her mind of Owen taking her hand and saying he loved her, and how she felt like she didn’t deserve that at all.</p><p>“That’s fine, Abs,” said Owen but she could tell her was disappointed. He probably was hurting more than he let on. “Big day tomorrow, gotta prepare.” He pushed off the railing, “See you tomorrow then, hope you sleep well.”</p><p>“You too, good night,” replied Abby. She picked up her glass and went inside. </p><p>When she got into bed, the wine had warmed her stomach, the prospect of being a part of the Fireflies movement was exciting, yet she still felt cold. Abby pulled the covers up and her thoughts drifted to her father again, she could imagine him on the side of her bed then, like he used to do. When she’d had a bad day, he’d always seem to know and tell her a story that’d distract her from it so she could go to bed thinking about something else. It hadn’t even been a bad day, in fact all together it’d been a great day. Yet she still wished he were there with her now to tell her a story. Maybe again about that cat he’d saved in a tree as a teenager, or a new one like that time he’d met Everson. </p><p>Abby heard a light cough through the wall then and remembered Lev and Yara in the next room. At least she had them, and she’d do her absolute best to make sure they had far less sleepless nights than her.</p><p>
  
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  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Those are actually 326 and 328 Clarissa Ave, thanks Google Maps. Congrats to the people who actually live there, your house is now part of my fanfic. I also tried to describe the town set up as it actually is in real life 😁</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. A Mission</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Lev finds about about a mission that he and Abby will be going on.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>cw: misgendering</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  
</p><p>Lev was starting to really like being south. He’d known dreary Seattle his whole life, here the weather was warm despite it being harvest season and the architecture and difference in nature was like nothing he’d seen before. Lev couldn’t believe he, Yara, and Abby were living together in an old world house and that it functioned like it used to! In the days after they’d arrived, he’d checked out all the nooks and crannies in the house. Lev even tried to pretend he was a kid from the old world who knew exactly how everything worked and what everything was, because present day Lev was a bit overwhelmed living in this bustling town with all these new people.</p><p>After she started feeling better due to the doctor’s help, Yara and Lev would follow after Abby. The siblings didn’t break off and socialize with the other Fireflies much as they were a bit hesitant to interact with these strangers who didn’t understand them yet. They’d gotten quite a number of stares, and a few asked about the scars on their cheeks.</p><p>“It’s part of a right of passage where we were from,” Lev explained to some people. He knew it was vague explanation, but he wasn’t really up for explaining all the Seraphite customs when he wasn’t one anymore.</p><p>“They were in a cult, but we rescued them from it,” Abby added once, and Lev had rolled his eyes. He wasn’t quite the fan of that explanation but it seemed to satisfy their prying new comrades enough.</p><p>There were some kids on the island, about twelve of them who were sixteen and under and weren’t given the Firefly badge yet. They were the children and family members of other veteran Fireflies. One was even Everson’s nephew named Devin, and he was also thirteen.</p><p>Abby encouraged Lev to get to know the other kids, especially as Yara had to take it easy for now. Only thing was that the other kids thought Lev rather strange and his attempts to make friends hadn’t come to fruition yet.</p><p>A few days after arriving, Lev came up to some of them at the park after Abby shooed him away. She had some meetings and Lev was left on his own. So instead Lev approached Devin, who was lounging on the park benches with his friends Erika and Nas.</p><p>“Hey, it’s ’Lev,’ right?” came Erika’s peppy voice, her blonde hair was tied up in a ponytail.</p><p>“Yes,” replied Lev, he was still feeling shy around all these new people. </p><p>“How’d you get those scars on your cheeks?” asked Nas, legs splayed out as he sat on the park bench.</p><p>“Um, it’s normal for where I’m from, it’s part of a ritual,” Lev was getting tired of explaining this or talking about the Seraphite traditions. Most of these people didn’t seem to get it and acted skeptical, much like Abby first did.</p><p>“What kind of ritual requires cutting your face open?” pressed Nas.</p><p>“Enough, Nas, Lev obviously doesn’t like talking about it.” Devin saved Lev from answering. Lev grew a small smile and nodded to that. Lev looked up at Devin who was pacing around, his freckled hands spinning around an orange ball. “We were about to shoot some hoops,” continued Devin, “You wanna join?” </p><p>“Join what?” </p><p>“A round of basketball.”</p><p>Mentally, he kicked himself. Lev knew he was going to sound dumb but he didn’t know what they were talking about at all. “What’s basketball?”</p><p>The three other teens all looked at each other with stunned expressions. </p><p>Devin held up the ball, “Um, well this is a basketball and there’s a game where you try and throw it in those baskets. There’s teams and stuff, we can teach you the rules.”</p><p>Erika hopped up, “Yeah we can teach you!” Nas didn’t look as enthusiastic but, he slapped his thighs and got up as well.</p><p>Taking a step towards Lev, Erika gestured Lev to come over, “You can be on my team.”</p><p>Devin made a face, “Nah you’re a shit at explaining things, Erika. She can be on my team.”</p><p>Erika’s thin blonde brows knit together, confused. Lev’s blood cold, he realized what had just happened.</p><p>“Um, I’m a boy,” Lev mumbled.</p><p>“Huh?” asked Devin, as if he wasn’t sure what Lev was saying.</p><p>“I’m a boy,” Lev said again. </p><p>“Oh,” said Devin dumbly. He still had on a confused look that made Lev suddenly grown extremely irritated. “Sorry,” Devin tacked on.</p><p>There was an awkward air and Lev wanted to be anyway but there. “I actually have to go help Abby with something about now, so I can't play. I’m gonna go.”</p><p>He heard Erika’s voice as he turned. “Oh, okay Lev. Sorry, see ya.”</p><p>Lev walked off quickly as he could. He knew Abby had just shooed him away, but Yara was visiting the doctor this morning and he wasn’t sure where else to go. Sighing once he was far enough away, Lev decided to just head back to the domed building where Abby was having her meeting. He could just hang around until she was done and maybe they could go do something afterwards. </p><p>At least walking down the streets of Avalon was relaxing, and it helped calm Lev’s anxiety a bit. It still massively bothered him that Devin assumed he was a girl. Lev desperately wished he was taller or could grow a beard like Owen. Owen and Abby said something about that maybe being possible didn’t they? Maybe he’d ask the doctors here about that.</p><p>Lev entered the dome and wandered the halls gazing at the odd decor, he’d never seen anything like it, these huge beautiful buildings.</p><p>Just then a door opened and out walked Abby with Everson and two other upper ranked Fireflies. </p><p>“That’s why we’d like a small and effective group for this…” continued one of the Fireflies officials. The four stopped in their tracks, noticing him.</p><p>Abby looked surprised but happy to see him, “Lev! I thought you went somewhere else.” </p><p>“I did for a little then I came back.”</p><p>Everson smiled at Lev and gestured at him to come over, “It’s actually good you’re here, Lev, because Abby was advocating you come along with her on this expedition we need done.”</p><p>Lev furrowed his brow and came closer to Abby as they walked down the hall to another room. They were going to go do something for the Fireflies already? “Oh, really?”</p><p>“Yeah,” affirmed Abby putting a hand on his shoulder. “They wanted me to come help on something and I suggested you come as well because we’re a good team. It can also show how capable you are and that you’re worthy of the pendant, even though you’re young.”</p><p>Everson nodded his head listening, “Thirteen is pretty young by our standards but I hear you’re a hardened warrior already, Lev. You’re the same age as Devin, but I don’t see him getting his number for a couple more years. Doing things like this for us will prove you as an asset to our cause.”</p><p><em> That’d be cool to get the pendant already. </em>Lev thought of Yara though, she was older than him, was she going to get one? </p><p>“If I get a pendant, is Yara going to get one, too?”</p><p>The woman Firefly spoke up, “D. Clarke” read her badge. “She’ll earn hers too in time, and when she’s feeling better we'll find a place for her to be made good use of, for sure. We need more than just soldiers to change the world.”<em> Change the world? </em></p><p>They’d reached the room they were headed to, it seemed like a planning room with various maps and diagrams on the walls. </p><p>Everson pointed to the map of California, “We’re planning on sending a team of six, including you two, to three different radio towers in Los Angeles and getting them tuned to us. It’s dangerous territory, with Infected and Hunters and various gangs.”</p><p>Abby shifted and rubbed the back of her neck with a hand, “Yeah, like that gang that jumped us back in Santa Barbara.”</p><p>“The Rattlers. Nasty bunch,” said Clarke.</p><p>“Oh, you know of them?” </p><p>Clarke adjusted the cap on her greying dark brown hair, “Yes, they gave our Santa Barbara branch a bit of trouble. They enslave stragglers, keep them in cages, torture them, make them fight Infected that they keep as pets. Count your lucky stars you got away when you did.”</p><p>Lev looked at Abby, she looked disturbed, no doubt imagining that happening to them if they hadn’t managed to get the upper hand that day, how close it’d been. Lev put his hand on Abby’s arm and she seemed to snap out of it.</p><p>“Yeah, seems like a nasty group,” she agreed.</p><p>“It’ll be around a two week excursion,” said Everson, staring at the map.</p><p>“Really?” questioned Abby, “That long?” Lev wasn’t keen on leaving Yara for that long either.</p><p>“Yes,” continued Everson, “There’s a number of Infected and dangers all across the city and we need you guys to go all across the the city to tune these stations and you’ll need to stay a bit at each one with our engineers doing necessary repairs. Might be able to shave a few days off though if things go smoothly.”</p><p>Well, maybe it wouldn’t be so bad. Lev didn’t have too much of a problem with it the more he heard about it, he was actually wondering earlier when he and Abby would be able to do something like this.</p><p>There were no more complaints after that, Abby seemed fine with the plan and Lev was willing to go with her. Lev had to check with Yara though, he didn’t want to go if she’d be upset by it. They were scheduled to leave soon, in only three days, and Lev had kind of wished he had more time to relax beforehand.</p><p>Abby stayed behind to talk with the upper ranks some more and then work out, which was boring to Lev. After the briefing he’d decided to head back to their house, hopefully Yara was back there already. </p><p>Lev got his wish and found her in kitchen, attempting to cut up a fruit he’d never seen before. </p><p>“Woah, what’s that?”</p><p>“The ration suppliers were giving them out. They’re called oranges, they grow on the mainland and they bring them over here,”  responded Yara, though the orange kept slipping away from her stumped arm as she tried to hold it in place.</p><p>“Here, I can cut it,” said Lev, going up to take the orange, which was about to roll off the counter. Yara looked like she was going to protest, but instead she gave a defeated sigh and handed him the knife.  </p><p>“I hate this,” muttered Yara, and Lev knew what she was talking about.</p><p>“What’d the doctors say today?” Lev asked, after he finished cutting the orange into slices.</p><p>Yara took a slice and began to eat it. Her face loosened up a bit after she tasted it. “They said I just need to rest a bit for the concussion and they went over some exercises I should do for my arm.” She finished her slice. “You can have some, Lev. Also, they told me there’s this Firefly lady who supposedly makes fake arms and legs for people who have lost them. It used to be her job in the old world or something like that. She’s off the base right now but I’m going to go see her on Friday when she comes back. Want to come too?”</p><p>Lev took his time eating his orange slice so he’d know exactly how to bring this up.</p><p>“I would, absolutely, but… Everson and some of the higher up’s are making me and Abby and a few others go on this mission on the mainland. Just to the city. We’re leaving in three days.”</p><p>Yara stared at him. “Three days? We only just arrived. We were on a boat for months, you really think you’re in top fighting shape?”</p><p>“Yes, I’m fine. It’s not like just sat on the boat the whole time doing nothing. Me and Abby practiced at the shooting range just yesterday and we're barely rusty.”</p><p>Yara made a face and ate another slice, she probably knew she could do nothing to stop him. Lev wanted to go anyways. He also had to tack on an issue that’d probably make her even more unhappy. “Also, it’s gonna be around a two week trip.”</p><p>Yara’s eyes bugged a bit and she pulled the orange from her mouth. “I thought you said it was just to the city, why two weeks?”</p><p>Lev grabbed another orange slice, “They said it was because the radio towers we needed to get to were all across the city and would need repairs.” He wanted to add that it was also because there were a lot of Demons and bad people there still, but that would just make her worry.</p><p>Yara looked away, processing it. “Well, I guess I can’t tell you no. Just get to know the others going beforehand and practice some with your bow, okay?”</p><p>It was good she wasn’t fighting him, Lev thought, and he  came towards her and brought Yara into a hug. “Love you, Lev,” she murmured to him. </p><p>They spent some more time together that afternoon, tidying up the house some more because Yara complained it was going to be so hard to do on her own. When they came back from getting dinner at the communal cafeteria, Abby had returned to the house. She seemed troubled, rummaging around in her pack when they walked in.</p><p>“Hey, Abby,” Lev greeted her. “You get filled in about the mission plans and all that?”</p><p>Abby turned and glanced at him and Yara. “Yeah. Yeah, they have it all planned out, we have some smart engineers tagging along. I’ll let you know all about it later.”</p><p>She pulled out her journal from the pack and tapped it with her fingers lightly. Lev had seen her write in it a few times on the boat, not too often, she tried to hide it. Abby gazed at it, perturbed.</p><p>“You cool with this trip, Yara?” Abby asked.</p><p>Yara had sat down on the couch. She rubbed the back of her head, her hair still in the Seraphite braids. “I wish Lev didn’t have to go so soon and for so long. But I’m sure he’ll be fine with you. It’s probably the first of many missions for the Fireflies.”</p><p>Abby nodded. “That’s good to hear.” She paused, “I told Owen about it today, but I don’t think he took it well.” </p><p>Lev perked up at this, he was pretty interested in what was going on with them. Owen was probably going to be as worried about them as Yara was. “What happened?” he inquired.</p><p>Abby shook her head slightly, “He just seemed upset and then walked off before I could talk to him more about it. I don’t know. I think we’re all just a bit raw from what we’ve been through.”</p><p>“Hmm,” hummed Lev. Maybe he’d try to talk to Owen before they left, maybe the sooner the better.</p><p>When they’d all settled down a bit, Abby and Yara decided they were going to go read, but Lev was feeling antsy. He wouldn’t be able to focus on the book he’d just picked up. Placing it on the side table, Lev told the two he was going on an evening walk and would be back in a bit.</p><p>Lev took a knife with him, he was afraid of there being a Demon on the island the Fireflies missed, plus it’d be dark soon. He just wasn’t completely comfortable yet. </p><p>Lev walked down the next street lined with houses, but still wanted to be out a bit longer, so he went up towards the path that led to some buildings on the side of the rocky dirt hills that surrounded the town. In the distance he spotted a figure, sitting on the hillside by the path. He would have left them be, but Lev knew who that was.</p><p>“Hi, Owen,” Lev greeted him as he came up to the familiar dark blonde man, sitting on the angle that overlooked the town. He was picking at the dry plants that were growing in the earth.</p><p>“You found me, Squirt,” muttered Owen. Lev wasn’t sure how much he liked the nickname “Squirt.” Apparently it meant 'short'. Lev sat down on the dry earth next to Owen who didn’t say anything else. It was odd, he was normally so upbeat. When he and Yara were around, Owen always seemed to stick on a smile. Maybe he’d grew tired of that.</p><p>“Are you mad that me and Abby are going on that mission?” Lev asked him.</p><p>Owen’s mouth twitched and he looked down at the ground, picking at a grass plant. “No, I’m not mad. Except maybe at myself for not being in good enough shape right now to go too, it’s just…” he trailed off and shook his head.</p><p>“We’ll be fine, you don’t need to worry.”</p><p>“It’s not just that,” replied Owen, not looking at Lev, his knees brought near his chest. “I know you two will go out and kick ass, it’s what you do. But there’s also the chance you’ll get caught in something too big to handle. Like back in Santa Barbara, or at your island, and I won’t be there.”</p><p>If that’s what Owen was worried about, Lev understood , “It was good you were there with us. You did help us out a lot of times when we were in some trouble. You’re probably the reason all of us made it out alive. But me and Abby and the others are gonna be really careful, and that situation won’t happen here. So don’t worry.”</p><p>Owen shook his head, it was evident more than one thing was bothering him. “Maybe I was helpful there, maybe I wasn’t. Thing is, I shouldn’t have even been there in the first place. It was me being selfish insisting going with Abby and Yara to the island. Any decent man would have known to stay behind with Mel. Stay and protect her and his own child. Instead I left her alone. Then those people showed up and it was a miracle they didn’t hurt her. She’s allowed to despise me for it.” Lev wasn’t sure who exactly Owen was talking about anymore. </p><p>Owen craned his head and looked at Lev, his eyes pained. “How things turned out, I don’t think you could ask for a better situation for you three. That’s amazing for you. I just don’t think I deserve to even be here.” Owen turned back away, and Lev was left troubled.</p><p>This was heavy, he must have a lot on his mind. Owen should probably be talking to Abby about this, but maybe that was part of the problem. Lev put his hand on Owen’s arm, just to let him know he was there for him. He remembered what Yara had told him on the boat once that she once said to Abby.</p><p>“I don’t know everything about you, but I’ve seen enough. You’re not like the other Wolves. You’ve got a warm heart. I can tell you're a good person, just like Abby. Even if you two don’t believe it. It’s true. You didn’t need to take us along but you did.”</p><p>Owen picked apart the dry grass, “I was going to leave everyone. Go here by myself.”</p><p>“But you didn’t! And then Abby and me and Yara and Mel showed up and you wanted all of us to come too! Stop it! You care about all of us, don’t pretend you don’t. Yes, you’ve done good and bad things, but who hasn’t?”</p><p>Owen just sat there, crumbling the grass to dust. He seemed a little less tense now, but still unhappy.</p><p>“You guys don’t need me, said Owen finally. He was probably talking about Abby, and how she wouldn’t let him in. If only Lev could keep working on getting her to loosen up. Even if he couldn’t though and it didn’t work out for those two as a couple, Lev still wanted both of them to be okay. Even if they didn’t believe it themselves, he and Yara had known some bad people in their lives, and Owen and Abby weren’t one of them.</p><p>“It’s not about need,” said Lev. “I love my sister more than anyone, but if she died or left me, should I just give up? We all appreciate you a lot, Owen.”</p><p>Putting a hand up to his face, Owen seemed a bit embarrassed, but he was listening to what Lev was saying. “If you say so” he told him. </p><p>They sat there for a bit and Lev thought of what to say next. This all had to do with Abby, didn’t it? Those two had some definite tension as of late, and Lev needed some things cleared up.</p><p>“I’ve noticed it’s been weird between you two since the ambush in Santa Barbara. Like weirder than before. What happened there?”</p><p>Owen hesitated and Lev knew he was onto something, then he spoke. “Well Lev, I told her I loved her.  Why? Because I knew there was no turning back after whatever would happen in there.” <em> Wow really? </em>Thought Lev. No wonder things got a little tense.</p><p>Owen didn’t say any more, so Lev gently prodded. “What’d she say back?” He was hoping Abby hadn’t said anything to the fact she didn’t love Owen back, that would be enough to even upset Lev as well.</p><p>Owen kicked his legs out. Then a bit defeated, he answered, “She just said she needed some time and that things weren’t settled, so she didn’t want to just say anything. I jumped her with the conversation though, it’s understandable.” Though Owen brushed it off, Lev could see how much he was hurting. Lev’d seen Owen hurt the whole trip, he’d seen Abby hurt, he’d seen Yara hurt, and even he himself was hurting. There was enough pain in all of their pasts. There had to be something Lev could do to help.</p><p>“I can talk you up a bit to Abby while we’re away. Just like suggest that you two should talk it out more. Maybe go on a date.”</p><p>That made Owen perk up, he made a face, “You know what dates are?”</p><p>Lev slightly panicked, he thought he did. They were when two people did something alone and romantic, right? He hoped it didn’t mean something sexual or something, he wasn’t sure about their customs.</p><p>“Yes? And yeah I’ll do that. After I warm her up a bit.” Lev put a hand on Owen’s shoulder, “I’ll help you, Owen!”</p><p>Owen looked at Lev, his face slowly softening into a smile. “You know, you’re a great kid, Lev. I’m glad we crossed paths.”</p><p>“I’m glad too,” replied Lev, feeling a bit sheepish now. “Well, I’ve got to get back. See you tomorrow, probably?”</p><p>Owen watched Lev as he stood up and brushed himself off. </p><p>“Yeah, see you tomorrow. I’ll head back soon, too. I just want to catch this sunset.”</p><p>
  
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  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>sorry if this sucked lol, writing is hard. The last convo was particularly tough. What will happen while Abby and Lev are gone?? Tune in next year... ;)</p>
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<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Left Behind</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>After Abby and Lev depart, Yara and Owen are left behind.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
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</p><p>Yara remembered the first time Lev ever asked her to teach him how to use a bow. She’d just become a soldier, only earning the honor a week prior. She received her own bow and arrows, and her teachers encouraged her to practice at home. Once she got older and more experienced they’d teach her to use guns as well, but machinery like that honestly intimidated Yara. She was fine with sticking with her bow for now. She was already in love with her bow, it was smooth, not too heavy, and the smell of the wood was probably her favorite thing about it. She loved to pull it back, feel the twang, and get the thump of satisfaction from hitting the target.</p><p>Lev had watched her with her practice bows back at training and now he watched her with her own, officially a soldier.</p><p>Yara could tell Lev wanted to try, though she was somewhat trying to ignore him. He wasn’t allowed to because he was still too young and he wasn’t on the path to being a soldier yet. When he was older hopefully he would be though.</p><p>Eventually, Lev couldn't take it anymore and cracked.</p><p>“Yara?”</p><p>“<em> Yes </em>?”</p><p>“Can I please try?”</p><p>Yara dropped her bow and sighed. Lev didn’t give up, though. “Please? No one’s here and I’ll be careful. I just want a head start for when it’s my turn.”</p><p>Yara had thought it over, rubbing the string of the bow between her fingers. She’d looked up at her sibling and seen the admiration in his eyes. It made her proud of herself a little that she could make him look at her that way. </p><p>“Okay, c’mere. I’ll teach you how.”</p><p> </p><p>Seeing Lev off was hard, but she had to pretend like it wasn’t. He seemed prepared, eager to set off, but Yara could tell he was sad to leave her too. When they’d woke up that morning he didn’t seem to want to leave his shark plush, and Yara had to assure him that she’d look after the toy while he was gone. She wished she had some other thing of sentiment to give to Lev but they’d really lost everything from their old life except the bow and their old clothes.</p><p>Finding some old string meant for crafts she found in one of the old stores, she wove him a little bracelet to think of her with. It’d been extremely hard to weave with one hand, and she’d had to use her teeth. Luckily Lev seemed relieved and grateful to receive it, and put it on when she gave it to him at the docks. They hugged again even though they’d already done it at the house. </p><p>“May She protect you,” Yara told Lev.</p><p>“May She guide you,” Lev answered back.</p><p>The other Fireflies for the mission were there, as well as Everson, who wasn’t going. They stood a bit to the side of their little Seattle group. </p><p>Abby looked ready, her hair woven in her usual braid. Yara wondered if Abby would change it up at all when they got back. But who was she to talk, she still wore her hair the same way as well. The last of the supplies was getting loaded on the boat. Yara looked behind her, Owen was a few steps back, there to see them off as well. He seemed off, but he normally was lately.</p><p>He dropped his crossed arms, “Alright, well, be careful Abs.” Owen was speaking to Abby like they were the only two there.</p><p>“Of course,” responded Abby, she glanced away shyly, “See you a couple weeks.” There was an awkward pause as though they weren’t sure if they should hug each other goodbye. Then Abby made the movement to come towards him, and Owen pulled her into a tight hug, his arms around her shoulder and waist. Abby gripped him back and leaned her head into his neck, seeming lost in the moment. Yara could see the hug said more between them than their words had in months, they held on a few more seconds than necessary for a polite hug. Finally letting go, Abby gave Owen a quick glance and then nodded, biting her lip. She took steps back and put her hand on Lev’s shoulder, finally turning.</p><p>“Bye,” Owen said to the two. Yara echoed him. She turned to look at him again, his cheeks were flushed and he looked remarkably like one of her childhood friend’s dogs when its owner had to leave in the mornings.</p><p>They watched the boat leave together, and Yara was left feeling a bit empty watching it get smaller and smaller on the horizon.</p><p>Owen broke the silence, “You see that there’s a movie theatre here?”</p><p>Yara spun around, “There is? I haven’t had the chance to explore much.”</p><p>“Yes, in the City Hall actually. They have a little theatre that still works.”</p><p>Suddenly Yara felt a lot less sad. She’d never seen a movie before. “Really? Can we check it out?”</p><p>“I was just going to suggest that.”</p><p> </p><p>The movie they watched was black and white,  but Owen said they came in color too though. Even just seeing a black and white film was incredible enough. The film was called<em> To Kill A Mockingbird. </em>It was fascinating, but a lot of it didn’t make much sense to Yara even enough she was learning about the old world from reading books. Owen apparently understood it more and he tried to explain afterwards when they got lunch.</p><p>“Not to keep dragging you along or anything, but I was gonna do some hiking today, want to come with?” Owen asked her when they were done. Yara considered it, she really didn’t have any other plans, and her head felt pretty good today.</p><p>She gave him a smile, “Yeah I’m feeling better lately. It’d be nice to see other parts of the island, let’s do it!”</p><p>They stopped briefly at Owen’s house so he could get his pack and fill up some water as well as take a knife with him in case there was any stray Demons. He too must be worried about that like Lev was.</p><p>The two didn’t talk much on the way there, headed to the northern part of the island. Apparently there was a lot more to the island but it was mostly empty with just roads to the various small stations across the island. Owen told her there was even something called an airport on the island and that there were vehicles called airplanes that carried people in them and went through the sky. That sounded completely implausible to Yara and even though Owen insisted he was telling the truth, Yara was pretty sure he had to be joking. If the Fireflies ever managed to fix one of these 'airplanes' and she saw it with her own eyes, then maybe Yara would believe him.</p><p>The two hiked up the peak that overlooked the north part of the city. There wasn’t really a path anymore but the terrain was manageable. Yara was grateful Owen was carrying water because she’d begun to sweat from exertion.</p><p>When they’d reached what seemed to be the highest peak, Owen stretched his arms out. </p><p>“Well, I think we did it, Yara.”</p><p>Yara puffed out a breath and sat down on the ground. “Good, because I need a break.”</p><p>Owen sat down next to her a few feet away and sighed. “I love a good skyline,” he murmured, gazing out at the horizon. Yara looked as well, it was cool being so high up and able to see the whole city. It was so much smaller than Seattle, but it was similar to her old island’s size. Yara’s thoughts began to drift into memories and thoughts of her old home, but she pushed them back. That part of her life was over.</p><p>“I don’t know what I’ll be now that I can’t be a soldier,” the words just fell from her mouth. In all honesty, Yara had felt so closed up lately and really just wanted to talk to someone. That was hard when she also didn’t want Lev and Abby to worry about her.</p><p>Owen had a sympathetic look, “Because of your arm? Well, consider it a blessing you have to kill less people now.”</p><p>Yara shook her head, “Sure, but I used to be such a good archer. One of the best my age actually, I probably could have downed a lot of you Wolves. Didn’t really get the chance, though.” </p><p>Owen’s mouth pulled into a half smirk, “I bet you could’ve.”</p><p>Yara scrunched together her eyebrows, “But now I can’t do any of that, I can barely defend myself and I’m just not good at anything else. I’m useless.”</p><p>Yara could feel Owen’s gaze on her but she was afraid to look at him. This was so embarrassing, saying her thoughts out loud. He probably thought she was a whiny little kid.</p><p>Owen sighed and stretched out his legs. “When I was a kid, younger than Lev even, I went to this military school for a little bit. I had this notebook I was supposed to take notes in for my classes, but I instead would just draw in it. I <em>loved</em> drawing. I’d draw animals, people, landscapes, just anything. My mind was always off in space, thinking about art.”</p><p>Yara had looked at Owen as he spoke, he paused and met her eyes and she glanced away. “So anyway, I had this one teacher who was a complete tight-ass, even to a bunch of ten year olds, and she got just so pissed I kept drawing pictures during the class. So she took it, paged through it and told me, a fucking ten year old, that all my drawings were terrible and then she tossed my notebook in the trash. She then told me if I did it again she’d get the administrator and my parents involved, and I couldn't have that. So for a few weeks I just sat there in her class, miserable, subdued, upset all my drawings were gone and in the trash.” Owen paused, “But then you know what I figured?” Owen’s eyes met Yara’s.</p><p>“No, what?”</p><p>Owen cracked his knuckles, “I figured fuck this lady, fuck this system. Then instead of being the art kid, I started being the jokester kid, and let me tell you I caused a lot more distractions in that class getting everyone riled up than I did drawing in my notebook.”</p><p>Yara cracked a smile. “So that’s why you are the way you are?”</p><p>Owen let out a bark of laughter, “Yeah, yeah that’s partially why, I suppose.”</p><p>Nodding and smiling, Yara took another swig of water. “I guess you’re right, I just need to find my new path and fuck the system.”</p><p>Owen’s eyebrows raised. Maybe she’d messed up the saying. Though, he seemed encouraging anyway, “Yes, that’s right. It’s what we all should do.”</p><p>The two were quiet for a few minutes, just relaxing, taking in the environment. Yara began to wonder about Owen’s story and his past. He’d spoken broadly on the boat about his time as a Firefly, but she was curious about the rest. He probably didn’t get to talk about things that bothered him either.</p><p>“What was your family like?” Yara asked quietly, she knew they were dead, but hers was as well, except for Lev. That’d be mostly even ground.</p><p>Moving a hand to his knee, Owen had on a sad smile. He looked down, remembering. “Well, my mom was the sweetest lady. She’s who I get my horrible humor from. My dad could be a hard-ass but he loved us all a lot. My big brother always pushed me around, but it came from a good place. He taught me everything he had to learn first.” Owen’s mouth twitched, and he swallowed and didn’t go on. A painful memory had clearly bothered him. Yara didn’t mean to make Owen sad, but it seemed like she had. She knew it was hard to think about the ones you’d lost.</p><p>“Well, you know a bit about my mom,” started Yara. “Very devout and strict. She used to be kinder but her love just seemed to wither away after our dad was killed. But I tried to make up for it to Lev.”</p><p>Owen was listening to her, “Was your dad killed by Wolves?” </p><p>Yara nodded. “Around five years ago. Not sure how exactly.” Maybe this wasn’t the time, but a question came to her. “Did the Wolves really take Seraphites back to base and torture them?” she asked Owen.</p><p>His stance changed to be more defensive, and Yara could tell it was true. Owen's mouth was tight, “Yeah. Yes they did that. Our groups really hated each other.”</p><p>“Did you ever do that?” Yara pressed. She needed to know, even if he said yes. Though if he said yes, Yara wasn’t sure how she’d feel being around him. If things had gone differently, maybe she’d have ended up in one of those Wolves’ torture cells. </p><p>Owen looked her in the eye. “No, I didn’t. It wasn’t really my thing. Yes, I’ve killed Sca-<em> Seraphites </em>, but I never hated them like that.” He paused and rubbed his right shoulder, “Not even after one burnt me up like bacon on a frying pan.”</p><p>Yara had no idea what that was, but it was kind of reassuring. Yet, she had the idea her next question wouldn’t make her feel better. “What about Abby?” she asked. It had been before their arrival, but Yara could imagine Abby, metal tool in hand, acting out her hatred of Seraphites on her and Lev’s father. She’d done that to someone else’s father, hadn’t she?</p><p>Owen’s brows were knit together, and Yara could see he wouldn’t turn on Abby, “Yara, she’s been through a lot. You know she’s had just this hate eating her up for years. Training herself and killing and yes, sometimes torturing… that was just her way of coping. It wasn’t healthy, no. But she knows that now. Even though it’s too late to take any of it back.”</p><p>Sometimes Yara forgot how brutal Abby could be. She remembered of course her taking down Infected and some Seraphites, but spending time with her on the boat and even before, she didn’t seem like a cruel person. For some reason even hearing that, Yara wasn’t worried for Lev being alone with Abby. What had she said back on their island, that <em> ‘they were her people?’  </em></p><p>Yara looked back at Owen, he seemed concerned that maybe her opinion would sour on Abby. It hadn’t really, not even after knowing more about what she’d done. Yara gave him a small smile, “I get it. She’s been hurt for a long time and isn’t one to talk out all her problems. She chooses a more <em>violent</em> route.”</p><p>Owen snorted. His voice was low, “You got that right. You know, I really tried to communicate with her when we were dating, but she just resisted it. I loved her so much I would have done anything to fix it, but I couldn’t. It just eventually grew unbearable… and I let her go.”</p><p><em> He seems so sad when he talks about it. </em> Yara thought to herself. “Do you think you made the right decision?”</p><p>Owen looked down, his mouth tugged to the side. “Maybe at the time. It’d gotten too bad for both of us. Afterwards we did everything to try and move on. Abby just spiraled deeper into her obsession and it was even more hopeless for me to try and change that. I got pushed into a new relationship partially by myself and partially by my ‘friends,’ but it never fucking felt right no matter how hard I tried to convince myself.”</p><p>He bit his lip, letting out a small defeated sigh. His eyes left the horizon and met hers. “I can’t change how much <em> she </em> means to me. Ever.”</p><p>The way he talked about her, Yara could see it was true. Before, Yara didn’t understand how Mel fit into this but now she did. Three people caught in hopeless situations. </p><p>Yara was almost afraid to say Abby’s name. “She’s different now, though. We’re finished with that Seattle stuff and she’s not fixated with her revenge anymore.”</p><p>“Yeah, she’s not because we carried that out. It only made things worse.” Owen rubbed his stubbled chin, “Fucking horrible few months,” he mumbled. </p><p>Yara didn’t say anything for a moment, she couldn’t imagine how it was having to travel as long as they just had, but after doing something horrible and the tensions being so high. Not only that, afterwards so many of them had been picked off for what they’d done. </p><p>Owen seemed far off again, he clearly still had things that bothered him. “You should sit down and talk with her. Even if you couldn’t before, maybe you could now, when she’s back.”</p><p>Owen snorted, “You know, I had a similar conversation with your brother the other day.”</p><p>Lev didn’t tell her about that, thought Yara. “You did?”</p><p>Owen shook it off, “Yeah we ran into each other and he was trying to cheer me up, which is ironic as it’s normally the other way around. He’s a good kid, you both are. He even said he’d put a good word in for me to Abby.” Owen was smirking and his cheeks looked a little pink.</p><p>That was adorable, “He did? Aww, well I hope she listens, Owen. I think it’d be great if you two patched things up, I think you two would be cute if you got back together.” </p><p>Owen waved a hand, “Let’s not get too ahead of ourselves, okay?” He made the move to stand up. “I think that’s enough of this giant mountain we hiked up. What do you say we head back?”</p><p> </p><p>The next day, Yara still found herself with nervous energy. She of course kept wondering what Lev and Abby were up to, even though she knew it’d be no good to dwell on it. Not only that, she was supposed to meet with the woman who made fake arms and legs later than morning. Her name was Carla, other Fireflies had arranged the meeting for her and she was expecting Yara, but still Yara felt so jittery about it. She hardly liked to even think about her missing limb.</p><p>At least Owen was there to talk to. She’d been telling him as much at the breakfast they were having at the cafeteria. Yara was surprising herself that she was telling him about this, but Owen really seemed to listen and it was reassuring.</p><p>“I hardly look at it, you know? My… stump? It just freaks me out sometimes to think about. Sometimes I swear I can still feel my hand.”</p><p>Owen nodded. “Well, you’ve seen my mess of a chest. I get it, it kills your self esteem and that mixed with the pain… You just gotta get through the hard parts, the shock. Then just live with it, it’s part of you.”</p><p>“Hmm,” replied Yara, picking at the remnants of her egg. Her sulking was interrupted by a Firefly she’d seen around but not spoken to, slipping next to Owen at their table.</p><p>“Hey, there. Owen and Yara right?” Yara glanced up at the stranger, a bit apprehensive. The woman wasn’t particularly tall but she seemed almost as muscular as Abby and had cropped short hair. </p><p>“Yep, that’s us,” replied Owen. He seemed to be comfortable taking over the talking.</p><p>“Ah, nice. Name’s Shannon, by the way. I briefly met Abby too, at the gym. She’s awesome and doing some good work out there, I bet.” </p><p>Shannon stretched out, and out an elbow on the table. She began talking to Owen as if Yara wasn’t there. “Everyone’s wondering okay, so don’t be mad but uh, are you and Abby like a thing? Because goddamn...” Shannon whistled. It reminded Yara of the Seraphite whistles.</p><p>“Um…” Owen looked uncomfortable. Maybe he’d say yes so no one would try and swoop in. “We’re not together, no,” said Owen and Shannon nodded.</p><p>Yara almost felt disappointed he said that. That left way too much open to interpretation. “They’re exe’s.” Yara piped up.</p><p>Owen didn’t look very pleased she added that. “Yeah, that’s true.”</p><p>“Cool, so you’re both available, right? Because that Abby is gorgeous and I don’t know if you swing that way, Owen, but my good friend Javier thinks you’re really cute.”</p><p>Owen gave a tight smile, “Thanks, but I’m not really looking for something like that right now.”</p><p>Shannon put a hand on his shoulder, “Of course, of course, you all deserve time to get situated. But anyway, I’ll let you guys go, see you around!” Shannon stood and left and Owen’s eyes slowly traced back to meet Yara’s.</p><p>“Sorry, if you didn’t want me to say that,” apologized Yara. <em> Though Lev probably would have said much worse, he should be grateful that’s all Isaid. </em></p><p>“I just don’t want everyone in our business. We didn’t have that when we were first Fireflies and it was nice and private. Then we got to the WLF and everyone knew everything. Gossip just spread around and it sucked. We were all having a hard enough time already.”</p><p>Yara could imagine the talk that floated around when he and Abby broke up, “Oh. Sorry.”</p><p>“It’s fine,” Owen brushed off, picking at the crust of his half-eaten toast.</p><p>“You need to get in there though before Shannon swoops in,” teased Yara.</p><p>Owen gave a dismayed chuckle, “You two kids are really… you know what, I’m not gonna finish that sentence. Don’t you have an appointment to get to?”</p><p>Yara’s smile faded, “Yeah, yeah I do. I guess I can leave now.” She gathered her utensils on her plate.</p><p>Reaching a hand out, Owen stopped her. “You want me to come with you? I can come with you.”</p><p>Yara shook her head and got up. “No, it’s fine really. I’d rather go by myself.” Maybe if Lev were here she’d have him come, but even then maybe not. This was just such a personal thing.</p><p>“Okay, I get it.” Owen leaned back. “I’ll probably hit the gym after this but then I’ll be back at my house if you need me, okay?”</p><p>It was nice he seemed to care, thought Yara. She shot him a tight smile, “Thanks, Owen. I’ll stop by later and tell you about it.” she replied, stepping away and dropping off her dishes.</p><p>Yara sighed as she began her walk to Carla’s house. It wasn’t on the street with the townhouses, it was a bit further out. A cool ocean breeze swept through, Yara would have shivered had it not been for the light coat she often wore. I just felt weird having her stump out, and she certainly never had it out uncovered. She hated the stares, she knew they were all wondering what happened with that and with her and Lev’s faces.</p><p>Yara recalled when they’d first gotten to the Aquarium, Abby told Mel that she hadn’t crushed her forearm, as if that would be the thing Mel would have expected. Mel didn’t seem fond of Seraphites, but at least she’d done a good job with her surgery. Sometimes Yara wondered why Mel even did it. It wasn’t for Owen and Yara had overheard Mel cuss out Abby so it wasn’t for her either. She treated her just because she was hurt? Times like these made Yara feel sorry for Mel and how they’d left it, she hoped that Mel and her baby were alright somewhere.</p><p>Yara had arrived at the address the Fireflies told her Carla would be at. It was a rather large house with a smaller house in the back. <em> I wonder if it’s just her in here.</em> Yara thought.</p><p>The steps to the house where stone and the house looked beautiful and barely worn down. Yara took a breath and knocked on the front door, waiting. </p><p>She waited for a minute, nothing. Yara knocked again. <em> Am I too early or something? </em> Frustrated, Yara headed back down the steps, maybe she was in the smaller house. As Yara rounded the corner she heard a peculiar sound grow stronger, a faint <em> whhhhhrrrr. </em>Now more optimistic, Yara headed up to its door.</p><p>The sound was definitely coming from inside the smaller building, she must be in there. Yara knocked loudly. A female spoke indistinctly from the other side of the door and Yara heard the machinery shut off. </p><p>The door creaked open and Yara was face to face with a smiling woman barely taller than Lev. Her dark, slightly greying hair was tied back in a bandana, and she herself looked to be about forty years old. “Yara! There you are, I heard you were coming. Come in!”</p><p>Yara gave Carla a smile and entered the building, it wasn’t a house, it was a workshop filled with various large machines. Only a few months ago, she’d have been forbidden to touch anything like this. Even now, it looked so large and intimidating. At least Carla wasn’t, she was gesturing her over to a desk in the back of the room and pulling out some chairs.</p><p>“Come sit down, honey. Get comfortable, I’ll get us some tea.”</p><p>Yara sat, and gazed around. She didn’t know what any of these machines made, but there was a lot of wood lying around, cut into various objects, as well as scrap metal and various junk. Carla turned back from an odd machine with two steaming cups. That was quick, she didn’t need a fire? That little machine could just heat up water?</p><p>Yara pretended to not be awestruck by what had happened, Carla was going to think she was odd enough already. </p><p>“It’s hot, I’ll just put it down here for you,” offered Carla. </p><p>“Thank you, that’s very kind.”</p><p>“Oh, it’s no problem.” Carla sat down across from Yara, holding her. “So how long have you been missing the arm?”</p><p><em> She’s straight to business. </em>“Almost four months, it happened right before we all left Seattle.”</p><p>“Hmm,” Carla hummed. “Long trip down here. Mind telling me what happened? You don’t need to give me every detail.”</p><p>“Well…” Yara absently picked at her sleeve. “I was in a fight protecting my brother, and it got smashed by someone with a hammer. Kind of crazy but that’s also how we met Abby, she was um... well that’s not important but she saved us. She tried setting the bones but it was shattered. Luckily she came back for me and Lev the next day and brought me to her doctor friend. Abby and Lev had to go across the city to get her medical supplies, they came back later that day and the doctor was able to perform the procedure with me. We left Seattle like the next day, but I think it’s healing alright, though it hurt quite a bit for a few weeks.”</p><p>Carla was listening intently. “Wow, I see. I've heard about Abby and y'all, yeah. So you’d only known Abby for a few days before you and your brother took the trip down here?”</p><p>Yara nodded, “Yes.” She hoped she wasn’t going to have to tell the whole story now, there was a lot to unpack and that she left out.</p><p>Cara’s brows were skewed and she tapped her foot. “Huh, interesting. Well I’m curious for more but I’ll leave that for later. Do you mind showing me your arm?”</p><p>“Sure,” Yara slipped off her jacket and was left in her t-shirt. The t-shirt was from one of the old gift shops, it still looked new and had seashells printed on it. Yara looked over at her truncated arm that was bandaged up. She hesitated, but then unwound it. Her lower arm luckily wasn’t discolored much anymore. The scar suturing it was purplish and raised. </p><p>“You mind if I touch it gently?” asked Carla. </p><p>“It’s okay,” replied Yara, scorching a bit closer. </p><p>Carla took Yara’s arm in her hands and lightly felt it. “That doctor did a good job. Looks quite clean, I can definitely make you something.” Carla let go, “I can tell you a little about me first, my dad had a job before the Cordyceps took over doing similar stuff to what I do now, he was a great engineer and taught me all I know. I love making stuff for people in need and helping out. I’ve made maybe a dozen prosthetics for people, but my question for you, Yara, is do <em> you </em>want one?”</p><p>Yara wasn’t prepared for that question. She knew it wasn’t possible to get her arm back, and maybe this was the wrong mindset, but Yara just wanted to get a bit of what she lost back.</p><p>“Yes, I do. It’s like daily, even now, I miss my hand. I expect it to be there and it isn’t. I find myself reaching and there’s nothing there. I can feel my fingers, remember what touch is, only for nothing to be there. I know it won’t be the same, but I feel helplessness with nothing. I don’t want to lose things that are important to me anymore. I’d like to gain something for a change.” That was maybe the truest Yara had spoken in a long while, and to a total stranger.</p><p>“Alright,” Carla said gently, putting her hand on Yara’s shoulder. “I’ll do my best to make that for you. I know things are probably hard for you right now, especially with your brother being gone. You need anyone to talk to, I’ll be here.”</p><p>Carla seemed genuine, “Okay.” Yara replied. She took a hold of the tea Carla had made and drank a sip, it tasted tangy and like no kind of tea she’d had before, but regardless it made her feel warm and comforted.</p><p>Carla reached to the side and brought out a ribbon with numbers on it. “I’m just going to take some measurements, okay?”</p><p>“That’s fine,” Yara responded, holding out her arm. Carla wrapped the ribbon around her arm and wrote down the numbers.</p><p>“Do you have anyone you’re friends with here, yet? Anyone you talk to?” Carla inquired.</p><p>Yara looked away, a bit embarrassed, “No, the other kids I don’t think understand me. I haven’t even really had the chance to talk to a lot of people yet. So far it’s just me and Owen.”</p><p>“Owen… that’s the other new guy, right?”</p><p>“Yes, he’s um, Abby’s ex-boyfriend.”</p><p>Carla looked startled, “You and your brother were on a boat for three months with a woman you’d just met and her ex-boyfriend?’</p><p>Yara thumbed the mug of tea nervously, “Yes?”</p><p>“And this man’s your only friend on the island?”</p><p>Yara didn’t see why that was so bad, Owen was nice guy.</p><p>“I suppose.”</p><p>Carla sighed, “Honey, you’re gonna see me again tomorrow, okay? I’ll show you around all the good spots, tell you who’s cool, who to leave alone. That sound okay?”</p><p>It wasn’t like she had much else to do around here, “Sure. Thanks, Carla.”</p><p>The older woman smiled, her eyes crinkling. “Great, I just want to help you get acclimated around here. Your group coming in is the most interesting thing that’s happened in months. Now, back to the arm, what do you think about a hook?”</p><p>Yara’s mind flashed back to what Owen said on the boat, that maybe she’d get a hook arm like a pirate. Then the other day in the visitor’s center she’d actually seen a picture of a pirate with a hook arm. She didn’t really mean to, but Yara burst out laughing. Carla seemed surprised.</p><p>When she gathered herself Yara managed out, “I actually think I’d like to try that.”</p><p>
  
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  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>A new POV, woohoo. The next few though might be Abby and Owen chapter's though we'll see. I have story points I've been dying to get to, thanks for sticking around.</p>
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<a name="section0008"><h2>8. An Instant</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Abby and Lev aim to finish up their mission.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>cw: semi-graphic violence in this chapter</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
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</p><p>It seemed the nightmares weren’t gone for good. She’s back at 2425 Constance, the Rattlers have the better of them. Abby is struggling to fight against them all but her arms are like jelly and that brute of a man that held her down has her pinned like a vice. The man with the baseball bat whacks Yara on the head and her neck snaps and bends backwards as she falls. Lev is being held down by the woman Rattler and is crying for Yara to get up. The large man on top of her is taunting her with horrible words, Abby looks up and sees Owen running toward her, he’s shouting for them to get off her. Then just like that, another one of the Rattlers shoots him in the chest, Owen’s clutching it, it’s spurting blood and he collapses. Abby screams, Owen’s covered in his own blood, lying dying only a few feet from her. Owen moved his lips trying to say something but she can’t hear over the commotion.</p><p><em> “What? What are you saying?” </em> Abby cries.</p><p>Then, as if the world muted and all she could was his strangled voice, <em> “It’s her.” </em></p><p>Abby turns and gasps to look up at the person who shot him. Helpless on the ground, Abby looks up. There, stands the girl from Jackson.</p><p>Abby wakes with a start. She puts a hand over her face, hoping to god she didn’t cry out or talk in her sleep. Turning to the side, Lev is still fast asleep on his cot. Her jaw is sore, <em> Hopefully just teeth grinding then, no sleep shouting. </em>It used to freak Owen out when she did that.</p><p>Abby was exhausted, as well as a bit frightened and frustrated. <em> Not the nightmares again. Not that girl. </em></p><p>Their group was at the last radio station, a bit ahead of schedule. So far they’d avoided Hunters in the area, though they’d seen traces of them. She and Lev had had to do a lot of the heavy lifting in terms of clearing out Infected for the other Fireflies, most of them were there for other reasons anyway. Plus once they’d seen how efficient Abby was at clearing out Infected, they had them do a lot of it before following them on their way to the radio stations. That was <em> fine </em> but it was a bit annoying they had to do so much of the clearing. At least she didn’t have to fix these towers, though. </p><p>This sort of work reminded her a lot of the jobs she’d do back in Seattle, clearing Infected, patrolling for Scars. She normally had someone tag along back then, too. A lot of times it had been Manny, cracking jokes and giving her a hard time about whatever mess she’d gotten herself in that time. Abby really missed him.</p><p>Abby couldn’t help but think back to when he’d died so suddenly. It could have been preventable. That day in Seattle she’d insisted Owen stay back with Yara when she’d heard those shots on the way to the Marina. That sniper, <em> Tommy </em>, had gotten Manny as they both tried to catch him. Yara and Owen ran up later, when she'd already tossed Tommy over the dock. </p><p>It was a gut punch to think maybe if she let them follow her, Manny would still be alive. Well, it would be that or Yara or Owen could have gotten hit. Two people following her as they advanced on a sniper might not have turned out well either. Abby didn’t even tell them when they met up again what happened. She’d know Owen would have been upset by it, and they had needed to focus on finding Lev. But it made her sick with guilt to think about. Her best friend, dead in an instant.</p><p>The image of Manny getting shot once again flashed again before her shut eyes. Maybe that was all the sleep she’d been getting tonight. Every night on this trip she thought about that comfortable fluffy bed back at her new house. That thing didn’t make her neck ache like the ground and the flimsy cots.</p><p>Abby got up and got dressed. In the morning they would run their final tests on this last tower and get out of the city. It was an interesting place, but Abby felt far from comfortable there. </p><p>She went out to the outside of the building they were huddled in, the sun hadn’t come up yet, but it probably would soon. Abby sat on a brittle old plastic chair gazing out, just waiting, maybe meditating a bit, trying to get into a better mind space. She and Lev had been talking a lot on his trip. Every day he’d tell her some more of the Prophet’s teachings he’d memorized. </p><p>Some of them were really good, she had to admit. There had been a few about guilt he’d recited to her, and Abby reached back in her mind, trying to remember the words. This is a fresh start, she tried to tell herself. Abby was still partial to that<em> true strength </em> passage Lev had told her back in Seattle.</p><p>Abby’s mind settled and before she knew it she had awoken to the feeling of someone touching her shoulder. She jolted awake from surprise, the sun was low and shining in her eyes. Falling asleep wasn’t what she’d intended. Abby scrunched her eyes and wiped them, she knew it was Lev beside her without looking, just from his size. </p><p>“Did you sleep out here all night?” Lev asked.</p><p>“No… just an hour or two. I needed some air.”</p><p>“Hmm, nightmare?” Lev inquired, leaning against the doorframe. Abby scowled, how’d he know she got those. Did Owen say something? Lev sure did bring him up a lot recently. Apparently they were friends now and Abby wasn’t sure when that had happened. It felt like they were only on Catalina Island for a day before they had to leave, though it’d been almost two weeks. Abby was looking forward to getting back for sure. Better food, her hot shower and comfy bed. Abby’s mind flickered to the image of Owen as she left him on the dock. It had just felt good to hug him, being up against him. His hazel eyes had been sad, as if he were afraid it would the last time he’d be able to do that.</p><p>“Abby…?” Lev leaned into her view.</p><p>“What? Sorry. Yes.” Abby wiped her eyes again and stood. “Is everyone up yet?”</p><p>“Yeah, Jimmy’s testing the signal right now.” </p><p>Abby started pacing around the building and stretching out a bit. “Good, I’m hoping that goes well so we can head back today.” </p><p>“Me too,” replied Lev, adjusting the bow around his shoulder. They weren’t going to run into anything right out here, but it was good of him to be protective. “I hope Yara’s doing okay.” </p><p>“I’m sure she is. Maybe she even made friends with those kids before you did.”</p><p>Lev gave her a stink eye, “I doubt that. They’re all jerks anyways.”</p><p>Abby wished Lev would be a little more open. “Well, don’t write them off just yet. They might surprise you. All kids are dumb at first anyways.”</p><p>Lev scoffed, “Rude,” he muttered, and Abby couldn’t help but laugh.</p><p>“Alright,” Abby yawned, “Let’s go meet up with the rest, I haven’t had breakfast.”</p><p> </p><p>Jimmy’s tests were a success, the Fireflies could now send their signal nearly all over Los Angeles. Abby wasn’t quite sure for what yet, though. Maybe recruitment? She hoped when they did send it out they didn’t attract the wrong crowd as well.</p><p>The six packed up their gear to head back to their boat, though it’d be a few hours trek to get there. If they hustled, maybe Abby would get to sleep in her bed that night. That was motivation enough for her and Lev to once again take the lead escorting the group back.</p><p>The way they were going was down a road they hadn’t gone down before, it was quickest to go along the buildings on the coast than to retrace their steps along the city. The city was so dead quiet anyway, heavily bombed years ago when the Infection hit.</p><p>The four engineer Fireflies were thankfully quite quiet today, they must be eager to get back as well. Abby had to shush them a few times on their mission for talking loudly while in unsafe areas. It was like they were asking to be found sometimes.</p><p>Abby had to admit she was being kind of hard on the other Fireflies, it’s just they just seemed to annoy her a bit. Maybe that was also due to the fact she’d been either PMS-ing or on her period for half the trip. She hadn’t had a period in a few months, probably due to stress and lack of good nutrition. Abby would also be lying that she hadn’t been a little paranoid she was pregnant, even though she didn’t feel any major changes in her body. Owen might have pulled out during their escapade while down the coast, but he didn’t that time on the boat. </p><p>For some reason, she kept thinking back to that night during the dull moments of the trip. She had said she didn’t care, but she remembered the way his hands felt on her body, the way he’d kissed her so feverishly, like he’d been aching to for months.</p><p><em> Fuck. </em>Abby tried to push that thought away, now wasn’t really the time. She seriously needed to get laid, though. It’d be wrong to ask Owen for just sex again, not after how he’d poured his heart out to her. But the thought of doing it with some stranger wasn’t so appealing to her either. </p><p><em> Screee! </em> The sound of a clicker squealing in the distance finally managed to get Abby’s head out of the clouds.</p><p>“Hear that?” murmured Lev.</p><p>Abby nodded, “Yeah,” she said in a low voice. “Sounds like trouble.”</p><p>The sounds of far away shots filled the air, as well as the sounds of Infected. They were probably a few blocks away. Abby turned back to her party, “Follow at a distance in case we need backup.”</p><p>Jimmy clutched his scoped rifle, “Got you covered, Abby!” Abby gave him a weak smile. Jimmy was a terrible shot.</p><p>Abby and Lev ran ahead, if it was Infected, they’d take them out. If it was Hunters, well, they’d take them out too. Less threats for the Fireflies to run into. </p><p>The shots were getting louder for some yards, and then they ceased. Abby could hear the murmurings of people up ahead, she hid by the corner of a building and listened. There were maybe three of them.</p><p>“I think I got Clicker goo on my new shoes,” whined a male voice with a southern accent.</p><p>A crass voice of another young man answered him, “Those weren’t new, some pussy-ass Firefly had been wearing them for god knows how long.”</p><p>“Well, I mean new to <em> me </em>, Isaiah.”</p><p><em> They’d gotten a Firefly? When? Who? </em> </p><p>“They keep taking all the animals. They raided all the fucking farms and put ‘em on the island. Are they really trying to stage a comeback? Because fuck ‘em. Bet we could take them.”</p><p>Abby had silently moved through the brush to where the third person, a woman not engaging in conversation, was standing. She went up for the silent kill, but the pop of the woman’s neck as Abby snapped it echoed off the walls of the buildings. The two men turned and spotted her.</p><p>“Fuck! We’re being attacked!” cried Isaiah, and he and his southern friend ducked for cover. Abby scrambled out of the way as they shot at her with their pistols. Abby peeked over her crate. The two continued to move their cover and let off shots, not making it easy for Abby to get at them. Lev rolled and moved inside one of the buildings in hopes of getting a better vantage point.</p><p><em> PING. </em>A bullet hit a lampost inches from Abby’s face. Now she was getting a bit pissed off. Those little punks needed to stop running from her, dipping in and out of ruined buildings. It was too much movement for her to use her hunting pistol, Abby reached over her shoulder for her rifle. </p><p>“Ugh!” Abby grunted as she was suddenly on the ground with the wind knocked out of her. Isaiah was wrapped around her, pulling the gun from her grasp. He must have split off and then jumped from one of the windows on top of her. They were awkwardly intertwined with his legs around her, pinning down one of her arms. His sweaty hand was gripping her head as if he meant to snap her neck like Abby had his friend’s, but he didn’t seem strong enough for that. Abby brought her hand over his and strained to pull it away. She saw fear flash in his blue eyes before she sensed the motion of his other hand reaching to his side and then pulling out and plunging a knife towards her. Abby rolled hastily, pushing Isaiah’s face into the dirt, his knife in his hand going askew. Abby’s right arm was nearly loose and she thrashed and pulled it out. Isaiah had swung at her again but the two struggled against each other in a confused grapple. </p><p>Abby reached to pull away the knife, but the blade caught her left forearm as he tried to stab at her face. <em> Fuck! </em> It felt a bit deep. Abby caught the hand that held the blade and crushed it backwards. She was going to make this hurt for that. </p><p><em> “Agh! Fucking bitch!” </em> Isaiah screamed.</p><p>Though that almost felt good for a second, Isaiah wasn’t done fighting, he wriggled out into a position more on top of Abby. Then <em> SMACK </em>with the other hand he held his empty gun backwards and hit Abby in the brow with it. Another quick hit with the grip of the gun came to her cheek as she tried to turn away. She wouldn’t let there be a third.</p><p>Abby twisted violently, smacking Isaiah back down on the earth. He was completely stunned for a second and that was all Abby needed to wrap her hands around his neck and squeeze. She had a knee on the arm with the empty gun and Isaiah’s broken hand helplessly batted against her. Abby leaned more weight on her hands hoping to end this quick. Isaiah’s face was purple, there was spittle on his thin moustache. She looked in his eyes and they were begging her to stop.</p><p>The girl from Jackson’s voice rung in her head. <em> “I begged you to stop,” </em>she had confronted Abby with.</p><p><em> “I know. I should have,” </em>was what Abby had mustered in return.</p><p>Abby shut her eyes, she didn’t need to see the light go out. The was a subtle <em> crack </em> and she felt Isaiah stop struggling against her. Abby slightly opened her eyes, he seemed still. Exhaling, Abby slumped to the side, leaning against the wall of the building behind her.</p><p>Moments later, she heard light running footsteps. She knew it was Lev, she knew he got the last one.</p><p>“Oh no! Abby, you’re hurt!” Lev exclaimed, kneeling down next to her and getting the first aid kit from her pack. </p><p>Abby had her head in her hand, her right eye was swelling shut. She was so fucking tired of this shit. </p><p>“Did you get the other guy?” Abby asked Lev. </p><p>“Of course,” responded Lev lightly taking her arm and trying to staunch the bleeding with gauze. The blood had gotten all over her pants. <em> Lovely. I really liked these pants too. </em></p><p>“That’s gonna need stitches,” Abby diagnosed, reaching for the kit.</p><p>She could sense more people coming this way, and that it was the rest of her group.</p><p>“Oh shit, if we’d known they’d have been this much trouble we would have come up and helped more,” said Jimmy, once he saw Abby was stitching up her cut. </p><p>That lanky kid really got more of the better on her than he should have.<em> I’m off my game lately. </em></p><p>“It’s fine. Didn’t need you guys getting hurt either,” replied Abby, turning towards them. Abby heard one of the Fireflies gasp as they saw her damaged face. The swelled up eye probably looked pretty bad. Even more lucky for her, it was later going to turn into a black eye. Abby could just imagine Owen’s concerned reaction if she showed up looking this rough.</p><p>“Maybe we take our time though getting back. Spending another night out here won’t kill us, we can be a bit more careful that way.”</p><p>The other Fireflies seemed okay with it, as well as a bit guilty because Abby got hurt. The others made sure no one else was around as Abby stitched herself up. She told them about the Firefly the Hunters had mentioned. They told her someone had been ambushed while in the city for a supply run. That was a bit troubling, Abby thought. Maybe she’d need to come back here and help clear out more of these hunters another time. </p><p> </p><p>After taking out some more Infected and spending a night hunkered in an old building to rest for the night, the Fireflies found themselves back at their boat and ready to head back.</p><p>As they sailed, Abby considered taking her hair out of the braid and brushing it front of her face to hide some of the damage, but it was dirty and creased from her braid. Maybe after she showered that could be something she could do to hide this black and swollen eye.</p><p>The dock grew closer and closer. They’d radioed in when they departed on the boar that they were on their way back, so they were expected. Abby could see Owen’s boat at the dock from here, she supposed it was going to be donated to the Fireflies now in case they needed more boats to transport people.</p><p>Lev was eagerly gazing over the edge, wind blowing his cropped hair. </p><p>“How does my eye look?” Abby asked him. It was less puffy but she’d somewhat glanced at herself in the glass of the windows of the Los Angeles buildings, and her eye was definitely looking bruised. It kind of hurt too, as did her cut. That was going to hold her back at the gym.</p><p>“It looks like you did all the fighting out there.” Lev put his hand up as he told her.</p><p>“Well, you and me kinda did.”</p><p>“It looks bad enough that Owen’s gonna freak out, though.”</p><p>Abby made a face at Lev. “I wasn’t asking because of that,” retorted Abby, but once she said that, she realized that wasn’t quite true. Lev raised his eyebrows. <em> “Shut up.” </em> Abby scolded him.</p><p>They docked and unboarded, there was a group of people waiting but Abby didn’t see Owen or Yara among them. </p><p>“They’re over there!” nudged Lev, pointing off the road a bit. “Wow, look at Yara’s arm!”</p><p>Abby scrunched her brows and looked off to where Lev had pointed. He’d took off in a sprint towards the two. Sure enough, Yara seemed to have a prosthetic arm with polished wood and… a hook?</p><p>“Yara,your new arm looks so <em> cold!” </em> cried Lev and Yara was beaming as she held it out to show him.</p><p>“I know!” his sister replied, “Carla did a great job.”</p><p>Abby walked up to where they were standing. Owen was grinning at Lev’s and Yara’s gushing, but his smile immediately dropped when he saw her face.</p><p>“It’s really nothing,” Abby tried to assure him, but she lifted up her injured foreman a bit too quickly and a jab of pain shot up her limb, making her involuntarily wince.</p><p>“Abby…” Owen said to her in his familiar soft tone of voice. He closed the gap between them in just a few strides. She looked down, feeling his gaze on her black eye. Owen reached his hand up as if to touch her face and Abby had to resist the urge to swat him away. Instead, she decided to just see what he’d do.</p><p>It seemed Owen was doubting him himself though, he opted to tuck the loose strand of hair behind her ear, his fingers barely grazing her slightly swollen cheekbone. She glanced up at him shyly and her stomach flipped when his gaze met hers. He then took a step back looking a bit sheepish. She liked the hug they’d had a little bit more.</p><p>“You’ve looked worse,” Owen decided.</p><p><em> He would. </em>Abby broke into a grin and gave Owen a punch on the arm. “Oh, fuck you!”</p><p>“What? It’s a compliment!” Owen laughed, rubbing where she hit him.</p><p>Abby shook her head and looked at Lev and Yara, who were watching them, amused. <em> Is he ever not an idiot? </em></p><p>She gestured at Yara, “Sick arm by the way, Yara. You’ll have to show it off later.”</p><p>“Thanks,” replied Yara, cradling it. “Carla finished it for me the other day. She’s really cool, I’ll have to introduce you.”</p><p>“That sounds great,” replied Abby, picking up her pack. “But right now I think me and Lev would just like to relax a little and then get through our debrief.”</p><p>Owen nodded, “Sure, of course. But I’ll see you guys at dinner, right?” He cocked an eyebrow and tapped his bicep, “You gotta keep up the gains, Abs.” He seemed much happier than when she’d last left him.</p><p>Abby couldn’t help but smile, he was being so ridiculous. She had to admit she really missed that.</p><p>“Of course. See you then.”</p><p>
  
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  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>The gang's all back together now, hmm...<br/>Also I get myself to make new renders as graphics for this chapter, woohoo. In a bit I'll upload more angles at a higher res ones on my Tumblr for the effort it caused me lol</p>
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<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Talk to Me</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Owen and Abby sit down for a talk.</p>
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</p><p>The first time Owen really, really missed her, they were still technically together. They’d had their rough patches for a while and communication was an issue, but they still had their sweet moments when it was just them. Two people bonded by trauma, by their feelings toward each other.</p><p>But things had gotten so difficult after Owen got burned. A Scar got him in the chest with a Molotov cocktail, he’d been on a sweep with Abby, Manny, and Jordan. He’d been in excruciating pain as he drifted in and out of consciousness, coming face to face with a terrified Abby as she dragged him away. He remembered thinking when it’d happened how sorry he was to upset her like this, that he was going to die in her arms after what happened to her father.</p><p>They’d gotten him back to the medical tent and the doctors did their best for his burns. His clothes had been completely engulfed on his right side, the damage was down his chest and shoulder, then even worse on his back. The skin had partially slid off on his back and the wounds stretched all the way down to his buttock. There wasn’t the medical means for skin grafts, so he was going to have to live with massive scars. At least he was going to live.</p><p>Owen’s entire torso was wrapped up, he had to get them changed often by Mel or Nora or one of the other doctors. He’d preferred when Mel did it because she just talked him through it to distract him and made it quick. It was painful getting wrapped and unwrapped, and he felt so vulnerable with his mess of skin exposed and the involuntary tears from the sting.</p><p>Owen had basically been bedridden for a week. Abby stayed with him for a lot of it, but after a few days he could see how much it bothered her to see him like this and just sit around. She was worried and antsy, he knew this made her increasingly furious at the Scars and that she just wanted to snap more of their necks. But Owen just wanted her here with him.</p><p>Two days into their transition back to their apartment it seemed good again. Abby was less tense then having to visit him in the medical tent, she cuddled next to him on his good side and they fell asleep watching movies. It was maybe the happiest he’s been in a while, actually having her held down for a night. </p><p>But all good things came to an end. Owen always knew Isaac had it out for him. Abby was Isaac’s prized soldier, not him. Owen was a distraction to Abby and even more so now. Thus, Isaac ordered Abby away on a “very important mission” for two weeks. When Owen heard her tell him what she’d been ordered to do, he knew she was going to go. She wouldn’t turn something down like this from Isaac, she wanted to go out again. Owen didn’t even argue with Abby, though of course he was bitter. Things weren’t the same after that.</p><p>With Abby gone, no one checked up on him, maybe they didn’t even realize. Owen didn’t want to ask Manny or Leah to help him, it just seemed so pathetic and it was too much work to put on them.</p><p>He’d walked himself down to the cafeteria, slowly and slightly hunched. His right arm was in a sling to prevent too much movement. Owen caught his reflection in the glass on the way there, his skin clammy and sunken, hair uncombed and disheveled.</p><p>Owen had shuffled his way over to the food line. The pain meds weren’t enough cover the amount of soreness he was feeling. His hairline was beginning to sweat, his skin feeling hot. It was more likely to end up vomiting whatever they were serving than eating it. </p><p>The people in line were murmuring about him, thinking he couldn’t hear.</p><p>“God, he looks terrible. I can’t believe Abby just left him like that.”</p><p>“They were having problems before so I’m not really surprised. Plus if Isaac tells her to bite, she goes running.”</p><p>“Yeah, but look at him. He looks like he’s gonna fall over.”</p><p>They were probably right. Owen regretted even coming down here, he’d just made a spectacle of himself. People can survive two weeks without food anyway.</p><p>Just then he felt a gentle hand on his good arm and a familiar voice.</p><p>“Owen? Come sit down, I’ll get your food for you.”</p><p>Owen didn’t even hesitate, he left the line with them and settled into one of the tables, gratefully far from other people. Owen put his head in his hand and it slowly stopped spinning. </p><p>The tray of food got put by him, as well as a cup of water which he heartily downed.</p><p>Owen looked up, “Thank you, Mel.”</p><p>“Owen, you should have told me no one was helping you out. You shouldn’t be out here moving so much, you’re still healing,” said Mel, putting a hand on his.</p><p>“Well, Abby’s gone for a while, so gotta learn sometime to live without her.”</p><p>“She shouldn’t have gone,” muttered Mel, pulling her hand and his tray back and cutting up his food for him. He only had one usable arm at the moment, after all.</p><p>“Orders from Isaac, so…” Owen added. Owen couldn’t believe he was a bit jealous of that old man. Abby always came whenever he called, did what he asked. Isaac made his skin crawl.</p><p>“Even so, she could have said no. Her boyfriend is grievously injured,” protested Mel, pointing the knife at his direction.</p><p>Owen shrugged his good shoulder, which still hurt to do. He didn’t want to say anything bad about Abby to Mel. She was getting enough shit talked about her from everyone else.</p><p>Mel seemed a bit disappointed he didn’t have anything to add. “Well regardless, I’ll drop by your room twice a day to get you some food and change your bandages when you need it.”</p><p>“You don’t… have to do that. Don't you have patients to help?” Though he would appreciate the gesture, he knew Abby would hate it when he told her Mel was helping him. They both had an inkling Mel had once had a crush on him. Some bitterness crept up in Owen, then. <em> But if Abby didn’t want this to happen, maybe she shouldn’t have left </em>. </p><p>“<em> You’re </em> my patient, Owen. And my friend. I’m gonna do it because you need to be taking it easy, seriously.” </p><p>Mel seemed so genuine, she was sweet. And Owen needed sweet right now, he was barely, barely holding it together.</p><p>He met her eyes, nodded gratefully, “Thank you. Okay.”</p><p> </p><p>Owen’s little house seemed a lot warmer the last few days, and a bit sunnier. It was probably just from the relief of Abby and Lev being back. They’d resumed their duties, trained some, attended Firefly meetings, it was the new business as usual. Owen just wanted to give them the chance to settle in again, but every time he looked at Abby he felt anxious. He knew he had to bring up having a serious conversation together, propose that they go somewhere alone and talk about all the bad shit that happened. Owen was probably acting weird unconsciously and Abby already knew he wanted to ask her something, anyway. She could always tell.</p><p>Owen had missed her this morning, she and Lev went out early for target practice. Taking on a mentor role, she was teaching the ex-Seraphite to use a gun. Lev had spoken to Owen the other day and told him that he’d been telling Abby on their trip about passages from his Prophet’s teachings that he’d thought should help her, as well as tell her about how they’d become friends now. Owen owed the kid for that.</p><p>Owen freshened up and looked at himself in the mirror. He’d recently got a proper haircut similar to his old Firefly buzzcut, but he wasn’t sure if it suited him anymore. When he looked in the mirror, it was jarring to see the haircut he’d had as a young man, so full of hope and optimism, and now four years later he was deflated almost, fine lines in his skin. Maybe he’d grow out his hair and beard again. At least he didn’t look as bad as he did a few months ago when he was hopelessly depressed after Jackson.</p><p>Jackson. That was something to bring up.</p><p>Owen knew that she’d be at the gun range afterwards so he headed off. If she wasn’t there by the time he got there maybe he could practice some himself, let off some of this anxiety. Why was he so anxious? Owen tried to shrug it off, he was just going to talk to Abby and suggest they lay out their issues for their own mental sake, that was it. </p><p>Owen got to the doors of the building where their arsenal was. Through the glass he could see Shannon leaning idly against a wall.</p><p>“Hey, Owen,” she greeted him with a goofy grin. Abby must be in the range if Shannon was acting like that.</p><p>“How’s it going?” Owen answered back, Shannon looked to be waiting for her gun from the quartermaster.</p><p>Shannon stretched, “Oh, it’s good. Got to chat with Abby a little, she is such an amazing shot. She’s in there…”</p><p>“That’s great, I’m actually here to find her. So, I’ll see you,” Owen hastily farewelled to the woman and pushed forward to the range. He really didn’t need the notion of others being interested in Abby to be piled onto his thoughts.</p><p>He spotted the blonde some yards away sitting and cleaning her rifle. Lev was there as well, holding a pistol and walking towards the arsenal. He smiled knowingly when he saw Owen. </p><p>“Hi Owen, good morning,” greeted Lev with a wink.</p><p>“Lev,” Owen responded. That kid could be so smug. Abby had glanced up at his name but continued to polish until Owen walked up to her. The swelling on her face was gone but she still had a bit of a black eye. </p><p>“Lev shoot good with a gun?” he asked her.</p><p>Abby chuckled. “Not really, he’s scared to pull the trigger almost. But he’ll get there.”</p><p>There was a pause in conversation and Owen watched her hands efficiently wipe down the rifle. He should just ask already, no point in drawing it out anymore. </p><p>“Abs, I’ve been wondering if we could just step aside tonight and talk?” Owen didn’t want to scare her off by saying too much, it was hard to have heart-to-heart’s with Abby. He’d tried quite a bit over the years, but ever since what happened at St. Mary’s her walls had been so high.</p><p>“Talk?” Abby cleaned her gun a bit more vigorously, “About what? The past or something?”</p><p>Owen shifted nervously, “Yeah, actually.” He had to be vulnerable, or else she’d just brush him off. “It’s just it’s eating away at me. Everything that’s happened. I know it’s affecting you too. If we just like spent an hour talking honestly, I think it could help both of us.”</p><p>Abby stopped scrubbing, her grip on the gun was so tight her knuckles were white. Owen began to think she was going to blow up and yell at him, cuss him out, towards the end of their relationship she’d done that after he’d practically begged her to talk to him.</p><p>But instead her grip loosed, and Abby looked up at him, her blue eyes reflecting the sunlight. “Is that why you’ve been acting weird? You know what, yes. I think we should, too.”</p><p><em> Really? </em>Owen smiled, relieved. “Great! I'm glad to hear that. I’ll come to your house after evening training and we can go somewhere and talk.”</p><p>Abby nodded and gave a small smile back, “See you then.”</p><p>
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</p><p>Owen did his own training that evening, practicing some hand to hand combat with some other Fireflies as protection against Infected. It definitely hurt less to be active which was good, Owen wanted to get his strength back. Since getting to the island he’d maybe gained a few pounds from actually being to eat and he’d kept active and lifted weights best he could without aggravating his rib injuries. But, he had to admit during the session he was distracted thinking about what topics he wanted to bring up to Abby today, what to leave for later, and how to best express himself. Owen just wanted to help both of them as best he could through the conversation. There were things that he was aching to talk about, but at the same time he didn’t want to hurt her.</p><p>That evening, Owen was nervous coming to her front door. It reminded him of the first time they snuck out of the St. Mary’s to hang out alone. They were trying to avoid having anybody find out about them, and Owen was halfway convinced when he knocked on the door, Doc Anderson would open it and beat the daylights out of him. But luckily for young Owen, instead it was the smiling round face of the girl he was falling for so, so badly.</p><p>Now, Abby also came quick to the door, giving him a quick greeting before he led them out to the beach trail he’d found. It was a pleasant view with a nice bench at the end where they could sit. Apparently Lev and Yara were at the movies, they were obsessed with them now and wanted to watch everything the Fireflies had in their collection.</p><p>It wasn’t a long walk to the bench, it was secluded and not too high up. Owen was pretty sure if they were far enough that if they started to shout at each other, the whole island wouldn’t overhear them. They sat down and Owen gazed out for a moment, there was a golden glow as the sun began to set over the ocean.</p><p>“Alright, where should we start?” asked Abby, gripping her thigh and perhaps a bit tense.</p><p>They could start anywhere, from when they first met to now. They could start with their break-up, or Seattle, but Owen knew the elephant to get out of the room, the thing that he wanted to forget about and that he knew she did as well.</p><p>“Let’s start with Jackson,” he said in as neutral a tone as he could. He knew this conversation would get messy.</p><p>Abby made an uncomfortable expression. “Okay, well…” Abby looked at him hard. “I’ll start. I know you didn’t want to go. Everyone else did and I figured that was a good sign and I could get you to come as well. I <em> needed </em> you there, Owen.” He didn’t know what to say to that, and Abby blinked and looked away. It was true that Owen had wanted anything but to dig up that grave again. But when she came to him that day there was no way he could say no.</p><p>Abby continued, “Obviously, seeing what happened afterwards I shouldn’t have done it. It made everything worse. But I don’t think I would have gotten over it if I hadn’t seen for myself.”</p><p>Owen remembered how before they left, how stunned and excited he’d felt when she'd finally come to visit him in the Aquarium after such a long time. It felt like a slap when he found out why she had come and why she’d been so gleeful in the first place. Because she finally had a <em>lead.</em> </p><p>“I couldn’t talk you out of anything. I just wanted to move on. I wanted you to move on.”</p><p>Abby’s mouth quirked, “Move on from getting the person who murdered my dad? When I nearly had him?”</p><p>“Yes, Abby. I’ve been with you every step of the way and I can see how you haven’t been fully fucking living since it happened. How it has tortured you every day” </p><p>Abby shook her head, seeming a bit heated. She turned to him, accusatory, “You said you love me, right?”</p><p><em> Why was she bringing that up now? </em> “Yes.”</p><p>“Then tell me, how did you feel when I shot Joel in the leg and I beat his skull in? You left the room, didn’t you? Or how did you feel towards me when you barely spoke two words to me on the way back or for months back in Seattle? Because don’t forget that happened.” Abby was punishing herself. She wanted the monster she thought she was to be affirmed to her.</p><p>Owen didn’t want to say it, “It doesn’t matter, that-”</p><p>“It does matter! We’re talking about our issues here, and you’re acting like you’ve always been there for me, always been on my side, when you haven’t.”</p><p>“Not when you clearly had gone off the rails. I never wanted you to torture anyone.” He didn’t like to remember that dark time, but he had to. Owen was going to tell her exactly how he had felt then. If he was able to talk about the whole scope of how he felt, she’d understand.</p><p>Owen took a breath. “Fine, I’ll tell you how I felt,” he said softly. “The way you acted in there terrified me. It... <em> disgusted </em> me. I saw you completely lose yourself. I couldn’t stay and watch you torture him because it made me want to puke. Meanwhile, everyone else was practically eating it up. My so-called friends had completely lost themselves too. I felt like I was the insane one for being the only one seeing how fucked it was, especially after that girl showed up. I was so angry at myself that I was too fucking weak to stop what you’d turned into. That’s how I felt, Abby.”</p><p>Abby looked like she’d been punched in the gut. She face twisted and she curled over on the seat away from him. Owen gripped the bench back. Admitting these things felt like being stabbed, knowing he was hurting her was worse. </p><p>That wasn’t all for him, “Everything had just gotten so fucked. On the way back I just thought about how I’d completely lost you. I wanted to run, get away from it. I couldn’t take it being at the WLF anymore, it was all meaningless.” <em> Meaningless fighting, meaningless pain. Meaningless without you. </em></p><p>Abby shook her head and leaned forward, looking troubled. “I just thought it would fix things. When I saw him, it was like, that’s the man I hate more than anything. I don’t have to pretend the Scar I’m choking or the punching bag I’m hitting is him anymore. That <em> is </em> him. And when it was over, I realized how pointless it was. My dad is still dead. All the other Fireflies he killed are still dead. Now people want to punish me for wanting to punish him. The cycle would have kept going, had I not actually spoken to that girl and we come to an understanding.”</p><p>Owen wondered all what was said between those two, but that he didn’t need to know now. As long as they’d come to a truce, and neither one would come after the other again.</p><p>They didn’t say anything for a bit, taking that in.</p><p>A thought popped into Owen’s head. “You know, you picked up right on something.”</p><p>“About what?” murmured Abby, head in her hand.</p><p>Owen scoffed recalling his mindset months ago. “Around Christmas I kept thinking about breaking up with Mel. Even though everything was pleasant, I guess, and I was trying everything to make everything perfect, it wasn’t. Because it just didn’t feel right with her, it wasn’t like when it was us. I over compensated on things trying to get them to feel better than they were. Then this trip happened and she was pregnant and you were completely just fixated on this revenge quest. It had me up all night just pacing because I never wanted any of it. But now I was stuck.” </p><p>Abby moved a little but her head was still down. Owen continued, “After Jackson, it was impossible for me to just go back to normal like nothing happened. Maybe I should have just sucked it up, accepted it had happened. Accepted that I was going to be with Mel now, be a father. But I fucking couldn’t. I was spiraling, I couldn’t talk to Mel about it, I couldn’t talk to you about it. I kept taking job after job to avoid reality and to get the shit kicked out of me a bit so I could feel something again. Then the Danny thing happened.”</p><p>It was hard to talk about this, but Owen pushed on. Abby was looking at him again now. Owen shifted and went on, “I knew it was over then. Not that I even really cared about the WLF anymore, but I was a traitor now. I ran off and thought maybe I can make my own decisions now. Maybe I’ll go and finally find the Fireflies and I’ll go by myself because nobody else believed they existed anymore anyways. Well, it was either that or Isaac sends someone to come and kill me.”</p><p>Abby nodded and did her little pout she did when she remembered something, “He did think you were a traitor then, and if the attack wasn’t planned for then he probably would have sent someone. He forbade me from going after you, but I-” Owen met her eyes curiously, it was pretty unlike her that she went against Isaac’s orders. She’d hadn’t even met Lev and Yara yet. Those three days had changed her.</p><p>Abby’s voice was quiet, “I had to know you were alright. I was scared that maybe I lost you.”</p><p><em> That maybe I lost you. </em> “I’m grateful you came, Abby, and that you weren’t there to kill me.”</p><p>Abby gave him a small smile for a moment, but then it dropped. “But, what happened…”</p><p>The sex. He’d been drunk that night but even still, her being there, it was like everything made sense to him. “I know it wasn’t right to Mel, but Mel was the last thing on my mind. I already decided on leaving behind everything. But there you were, the girl that was the reason for it all, and I hadn’t gotten to really talk to you in months and when I did it was like confronting all the things I was scared of.” </p><p>When Abby showed up, it was like every emotion he’d tried to suppress about her was finally seeing the light of day again, and he had a lot towards her. </p><p>Abby inhaled and bit her lip. “I thought you’d gone crazy, but I get it now. I didn’t realize until we started fighting how distant I’d been, how much I’d still been hurting from everything, how much you were hurting.”</p><p>Maybe against his better judgement, Owen took her hand. “Seeing you, it just sort of set me right again. I knew what I wanted was what you wanted. Still.”</p><p>Abby’s brows knit, thinking. The waning sunlight was illuminating her golden hair, he wished that were all they had to talk about, but he knew it wasn’t. Abby slipped out her hand and idly picked at her nails.</p><p>“If we’re being completely honest can I ask you something?” Abby’s mouth did that extra pout thing again.</p><p>“Yeah, of course.” He figured he already admitted the worst.</p><p>“Back when you were hurt from your burns, did you cheat on me with Mel when I was away?”</p><p>Owen tried to not be offended. They’d talked about this before, well, argued about it. They were breaking up at the time. Owen had told her the truth then and was going to again now. At the time they were breaking up, Abby just wanted to dig herself deeper into a hole. Now she seemed to be wanting to climb out.</p><p>“No. She just brought me food and we watched some movies together because I was lonely.” </p><p>Owen wanted to leave it at that, but he started to get a rush of emotion over him, remembering the times he’d tried to do something for just them but she’d been distracted, or when she’d chosen someone over him when he had been vulnerable. He brought his arms into a fold, maybe he shouldn’t hold it back for once.</p><p>Abby noticed, “What? Tell me.”</p><p>Owen looked at her, he knew his eyes were starting to well and he tried to blink it away. “Even when you fucking abandoned me I wouldn’t do that to you. I was in constant pain for months. First it was from the burn, but then when I saw how detached you were from everything, that made it so much worse. I just wanted <em> you </em>and you weren’t there.” His voice slightly cracked, Owen couldn’t believe this stupid jealous squabble was the thing that broke the dam for him. He was being stupid and self-centered anyway. Owen felt his eyes sting and ducked his face into his heads, trying to wipe upset tears off as quick as they came.</p><p>“I’m sorry,” Abby breathed, he could tell by her voice she was getting emotional as well. “I know I was pushing you away but I just wanted to get away from how fucked up everything was. It was selfish, I know. It was just so hard for me to talk about what bothered me. I can’t stop my destructive thoughts sometimes.” She picked at her fingers, “I was scared of feeling that hurt again.”</p><p>Owen had wiped off the tears and sat up, he wasn’t sure how to express himself even though this was a conversation he’d imagined having with Abby dozens of times. “I just didn’t feel like a priority to you anymore, you always had something else on your mind. That’s part of why we broke up anyhow.” </p><p>Abby was tense, probably remembering their argument when they’d broken up. They just vented their frustrations on each other then too, but in such a spiteful way. It ended with them having angry sex and then not speaking much for a while. </p><p>Thinking aloud, Owen said, “After we broke up, you completely buried yourself in training and I sank into this depression for weeks until Mel pulled me out. It felt like no one else cared or understood. She was a shoulder to lean on, and even though she waited months to push me to ask her on a date, I hadn’t really been ready for it. After I realized we just didn’t click right, I should have ended it. But I kept it going because I thought maybe I’d warm up to it, maybe I’d forget about how much I miss you. But it never happened.” Owen wiped his nose and looked off, feeling guilty. Things would have been so much easier if he’d just felt another way, the way he was supposed to feel.</p><p>Abby’s frustrations bubbled over. “Why don’t you hate me? You should hate me for what I’ve done and what I’ve caused. I’m not that same naive girl who snuck around with you behind the hospital, the girl who deserved to live in peace and not have loved ones torn from her. I fucking destroyed so many peoples lives, even people I care about. Your life! You should be in Seattle with Mel and your goddamn baby right now, what the fuck is wrong with you!” She gave him a push on the shoulder Abby was crying now, yelling at him. Owen knew she was just venting, but her words stung.</p><p>“I know who you really are, Abby, I could never hate you.”</p><p>Abby spit back, “You said yourself you were disgusted by me, and you were right to be!”</p><p>Owen shook his head and turned to her, “That situation in Jackson was fucked, but you see that now and the only thing we can do is move on.” He grabbed her arm, put her hand in his. It’d felt so right to him when he did that, he loved how they were wide and strong, her palms warm. Abby’s face had crumbled with emotion, she wiped her new tears with her free hand. He hated seeing her cry. Some people thought she was a heartless killer with no remorse, but he knew it not to be true. Abby was soft, emotional, caring. You just had to hang back with her for a bit to see that.</p><p>“Abby. Please, just… it’s a new start. We both fucked up and wronged each other and other people, but what we can do now is start over. We shouldn’t hold guilt for things we can’t take back. We’re allowed to be happy.” He’d told her this back at Seattle and he’d meant it. He’d wanted nothing more than to be happy again after months of hell, he’d lost everything but her. Even if they were just going to be friends, he needed her to be okay at least.</p><p>Abby looked and their clasped hands, her expression clouded, wetness on her cheeks. “When I talked with that girl, we saw that we were just the same. We were miserable people who got fucked over by someone else and were now driven by hate. Yet even knowing it all she was still infuriated by me. Wanted to gut me. She only didn’t because she saw it’d only cause more harm to people that didn’t deserve the pain.” Abby chewed her lip, “If it wasn’t for those kids I don’t know where I’d be. I’m glad we could help them.”</p><p>“I’m happy we could help them, too. They should have the opportunity for a good life. They have that here.”</p><p>She ducked her head down and wiped her eyes. Sighing, Abby then slowly she laid her head on his shoulder, Owen felt his stomach flip like it used to. That was a feeling he’d really, really missed.</p><p>After a minute Abby murmured, “I’ll try. For them, for you.”</p><p>Relief poured over him, Owen gave Abby’s hand a light squeeze. “Thank you. I’ll try too.”</p><p>He could feel Abby’s cheek on his shoulder move, as if she were smiling. It’d been a long while since Owen had felt just this content.</p><p>A warm breeze moved by and Abby’s soft voice broke the silence, she lifted her free hand in a gesture towards the sea, “That’s a really beautiful sunset.”</p><p>
  
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  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>They really be venting... I tried to touch on some stuff I think they would have needed to air out. Hopefully there's less awkward tension now!</p><p>A few more chapters and then an epilogue chapter I think for this...</p>
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<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Taking the Step</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>A couple weeks after Abby and Owen's talk, Lev wonders what will happen next with them.</p>
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</p><p>There had definitely been a shift, and for the better. For one, Lev had seen Yara smile more in the last three weeks than in the last year. She had basically become Carla’s apprentice, helping her make tools and fix things for the Fireflies. She was getting the hang of her hook hand more and more every day.<br/><br/>Nearly every day they’d go to the movie theater and watch one of the movies. Lev loved the animated movies especially because it was just so incredible to him to see drawings and graphics move like that. It really fascinated him how the old world used to do things.</p><p>Then of course another change was Abby and Owen had finally stopped moping around. It was like a switch had flipped. Abby was no longer crabby all the time and scowling, she would relax with her books more, smile more, joke around with Owen. They really did that a lot, and Lev often didn’t get half of their jokes.</p><p>After it’d happened, Lev had asked Abby how her talk with Owen had gone. Apparently it went well and they’d gotten things they’d needed to say off their chest and were “starting over.” But apparently that didn’t mean dating. They were going to start with just being friendly and not “rush into anything.”</p><p>However at their breakfast that morning, Lev wondered again how long that would last.</p><p>“That isn’t how the story went, Abs. Maybe you were too drunk that night and got your facts messed up.”</p><p>“I was not!” Abby protested.</p><p>Abby and Owen were telling him and Yara a funny story about their friends back in their Firefly days. Their laughter and grins were contagious, even if Lev couldn’t follow half of it.</p><p>“So anyway,” Owen pushed on, “Me, Manny, Nick, and Jordan were doing this human table thing. Our legs were bent and our backs were laying on each other's thighs to make like a y’know, human table,” Owen tried to mime it out with his hands.</p><p>That sounded absurd to Lev, he never did anything like that back on the island. Yara also seemed a bit bewildered, as even the older teen Seraphites didn’t seem to do that much, “Why would you even want to do that?” She asked, picking at the last bit of her fried egg.</p><p>“Because it’s hilarious and fun and it’s the things you do when you’re young and drunk! You know, maybe one night soon we could…”</p><p>“Uh uh,” butted in Abby.</p><p>“Just like a little, Abs. She’s like the age you were.”</p><p>“Lev would want some too and Lev’s too young. We don’t need kids drinking alcohol, Owen,” Abby scolded. Lev grinned at that, he kinda liked this sort of parenting dynamic the two had with them.</p><p>“Yeah. I’m good, thank you,” said Yara. “What happened next, though?”</p><p>“Oh yeah,” continued Owen with a smile, “So backstory, there was this one high up Firefly lady named Marlene and she really wasn’t a fan of these parties we would have. She’d get especially pissed at the guys if there were guys and girls there at the same time. So, we were all in this big room in the basement and we’re still in our human table and we hear a knock on the door. We just <em> know </em>it’s Marlene. So all four of us guys in the table just come to this understanding that we gotta hide, so we’re shuffled little steps like a crab off to the side to hide around the corner.”</p><p>Abby started laughing. Lev could sort of imagine it, it seemed ridiculous. </p><p>“Then Abby goes up to the door to greet her, which is good because Marlene would let Abby get away with anything.”</p><p>“I never <em> did </em>anything back then.”</p><p>Owen gave her a suggestive look. “Sure…” </p><p>“I didn’t mean like that, idiot.” Abby scoffed and gave his hand a light slap.</p><p>Owen chuckled and turned back to his story, “Anyway, so Abby goes up the door, acting sober as she can and Marlene is like ‘Is everything okay in there?’ and Abby was like ‘Yeah it’s just me and the girls hanging out’ and Marlene is like ‘Really? I heard some deep voices in there’ and Abby goes, ‘We were putting on a play.’”</p><p>Abby burst out laughing, covering her reddened face. Lev and Yara started giggling too.</p><p>“So then Jordan absolutely loses it, busts out laughing and our whole human table comes down crash. Marlene obviously hears us and gets pissed, she shut it down and sent us back to our bunks. We all had to do so much shit the next day as punishment.” Owen shook his head and laughed. </p><p>Abby was giggling, her hand on Owen’s forearm, “I got in trouble too, for the record.”</p><p>Owen made a face, “Yeah Sgt. Harding didn’t make <em> you </em>do a hundred push-ups and run laps, he made us do that. That’s sexism.”</p><p>“Oh please, that was hardly punishment and I could have done that anyway. All those forms I had to fill out...”</p><p>The two bickered some more. It was pretty cute, the back and forth banter they had. Now that they were both less depressed and tense, their lifted moods were rubbing off on him and Yara. The only question left was of when were they gonna go out on a date already. Lev knew he was going to have to push either Owen or Abby into doing that.</p><p> </p><p>It was a relax day for Lev. Abby and Owen were going to go practice melee training with some of the other Fireflies, and Yara was going over to Carla’s to help her with some invention she was creating. Yara invited him along too but after getting a splinter in there the last time, Lev wasn’t really as excited about that stuff as she was.</p><p>Instead, Lev headed over to the park. He hadn’t been back since the first time or really talked with any of those kids again. But, maybe it was time to try again. Abby was able to get past a lot of her troubles, he should too. <em> I find strength in fear</em>. The Prophet would want him to be brave and take a chance.</p><p>Lev turned the corner to the park, to the far end there was a Firefly mom with her two young children, and on the grassy patch with the two large baskets structures on the ground were Devin and Nas, with Erika looking on to them.</p><p>“Get it, Nas! Get it!” She was cheering, the two boys were fighting over a ball with their feet. It must be a different sport than basketball.</p><p>Lev got closer to them, it seemed interesting what they were doing. He gathered that you weren’t supposed to use your hands with this game.</p><p>He got within a few feet of Erika and she saw him in her peripheral vision. Her head whipped to him and she stood up, hands over her mouth.</p><p>“Oh my gosh! Lev, hi! We were hoping you’d show up again. We’re really sorry about last time.”</p><p>Devin and Nas stopped their playing at his name, they looked at each other and came up to him as well.</p><p>“Oh. Alright,” replied Lev shyly to her apology.</p><p>“It was my fault and my mistake,” interjected Devin. “I’m sorry if I made you feel bad last time. It made me feel bad, so I can only imagine how you felt.”</p><p>It had bothered Lev for a bit when they thought he was a girl, but when Lev had gone on the mission with Abby, his brain was back in survival mode. Now that Lev had time to relax and think about it though, he knew it’d been an honest mistake.</p><p>“Thanks Devin, I appreciate you apologizing.”</p><p>Devin’s freckled face was all red, “Okay. Sorry, yeah my mom used to say I had peas in my brains sometimes. Anyway, we all want you to be our friend, we could use more friends especially to play games with!”</p><p>Lev smiled, “That could be fun. What games do you play?”</p><p>Erika jumped in. “Besides basketball we try to play soccer sometimes, but it’s hard with only two or three people. So we just made up our own game.”</p><p>“I’ve never heard of soccer,” admitted Lev. They were gonna find out soon enough he knew very little about the things they found familiar.</p><p>Devin picked up the ball, “Soccer. At least in America it’s called that. In Europe they call it ‘football.’ My uncle told me that.”</p><p>The world was so big and confusing. “Are we in America?” asked Lev. He thought they were in California.</p><p>Nas looked like he was going to laugh and covered his mouth with his hand. Erika nodded, trying to not look surprised, and Devin peered at him quizzically. </p><p>Lev figured he should follow that up, “Sorry, I’m from a place where we didn’t have any of this stuff. But I want to learn! Especially to play this game. Can you guys teach me?” </p><p>Erika broke into a warm smile at that. “Of course we can, c’mon. Let’s play!”</p><p> </p><p>Lev had fun that day, he spent the rest of the morning playing games with Erika, Devin, and Nas, and then in the afternoon they watched a movie at the theater called <em> Back to the Future</em>. They were all very helpful in explaining to Lev the various cultural aspects he didn’t understand, which he appreciated. They were all actually pretty nice kids, maybe he’d invite Yara to hang out with them soon sometime. But maybe not, Yara seemed to be enjoying the company of Carla enough.</p><p>When Lev got back to the house Abby was already there, digging into a bowl of oatmeal. He hadn’t seen her since this morning and her hair was in a high ponytail instead of her usual braid. She seemed to be trying out different styles these last few days, which was interesting.</p><p>“Oh hey, Lev! You were gone all day. You make friends?”</p><p>“Yes, actually. I was playing this game called soccer with Devin, Nas, and Erika. Then we went to the theater and watched <em> Back to the Future</em>.”</p><p>“That’s great! I’m glad you’re making friends your age,” smiled Abby. She was just so much more upbeat lately, it was still something Lev had to get used to. Lev wondered if anything happened with her and Owen while he was gone.</p><p>“So what’d you do today?” asked Lev, getting himself a glass of water. </p><p>“Oh, you know,” Abby went back to looking at her bowl of oatmeal, “Did some melee with Owen and the others. A lot of the Fireflies here need some more training, not gonna lie. Gonna try and teach them some things I learned.”</p><p>“Okay. Is that it?” Lev wanted more, she must be smiling for some reason. “Did you and Owen like kiss or something?” Lev figured that’s what adults who liked each other might do in a close quarters situation.</p><p>Abby seemed a bit flustered, “What? No, we’re just friends right now. We’re not doing anything like that.”</p><p>Lev snorted at that. “Sure. I’m sure there was absolutely no tension while you guys did your little hand-to-hand sparring.”</p><p>Abby scoffed and rolled her eyes,  “I mean yeah, we bantered, flirted some but…”</p><p>Lev jumped up, they were so close to getting somewhere, “But what? What are you waiting for Abby? Stop waiting!”</p><p>“I…” Abby looked embarrassed, she rubbed the back of her neck, “I don’t know, Lev, I…”</p><p>“The Prophet taught me that life is fragile and can be gone in an instant. So therefore we need to hold that which we love close us and be grateful that we are in a time that we are with them. Because any number of factors could have led us to be separated from them. Everything we are thankful for we should cherish. I’m thankful I have my sister and that she loves me and is healthy and okay. I’m thankful that we ran into you, Abby, that you saved us. I’m thankful for Owen for taking us far away to somewhere safe. You all mean so much to me, I’m grateful we all got this chance. We should make the most with what we have.”</p><p>Lev wasn’t even sure where that all came from, the passage just flowed from him. It just felt right to him to recite it to Abby and let her know how much he cared about them all. He wanted the best for all of them.</p><p>“Wow, that’s something. And thank you for saying that.” Abby was rubbing the bowl nervously with her thumb.</p><p>He almost had her convinced. “I know Owen wants to, I know you want to. <em> You </em> should ask him out on a date. You two deserve it.”</p><p>Abby was mulling it over, her hand on the oatmeal bowl was precariously tight. Then she looked up at Lev, her gaze resigned.</p><p>“I do care about him. A lot.”</p><p>Lev leaned his head forwards, encouraging her to continue.</p><p>Abby sighed and ducked down her head. “Okay! Fine. I’ll ask him out.”</p><p>“Yes!” Lev ran up to her and patted Abby excitedly on the arms. “Yara’s gonna freak when I tell her.”</p><p>“Yeah, yeah.” She was trying to suppress it but Lev could tell she was excited too. “Okay, kid. I don’t know what to do though for it, will you help me plan? It’s the least you could do after pressuring me into this.”</p><p>He was hoping she’d ask. “I’ve actually got some ideas, I’ve been exploring this island and I know the perfect romantic spot!”</p><p>Abby put down her bowl and pulled Lev into a hug, “Oh Lev, what’d I do to deserve you. Yeah. Let’s come up with a plan, this’ll be good!”</p><p>
  
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  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Omg, is really happening? 😂 Also I added in how many chapters are left, two more plus an epilogue type chapter. Maybe I was originally gonna added more political intrigue with the Fireflies but honestly my brain is too small for that, and who really cares about that part anyway lol.</p>
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<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Like Waves</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Abby and Owen go on their long anticipated date.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>a long chapter, a climax of sorts. lol. enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
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</p><p>The next morning, Abby bit the bullet and just asked him.</p><p>Coming back from her morning workout, she spotted Owen outside his house, attempting to clean up the exterior and the neglected lawn. His shirt had sweat stains and dirt on it, and his once again grown out hair was a bit askew.</p><p>“How’s the landscaping going?” Abby asked him, adjust her ponytail. She wasn’t sure how much she liked doing that hairstyle yet, it was very swishy.</p><p>Owen turned to her, looking tired, pulling up some dried weeds. She saw a micro change in his eyes though when he saw her standing there in her fitted tank top and leggings, definitely checking her out a bit.</p><p>“It’s uh, it’s going well.” He stood up to face her. “You need to do a better job with your lawn because I’m gonna have a beautiful clean house and yours is just going to look so much worse in comparison.”</p><p>Abby snickered and looked back at her house’s facade, it didn’t look <em> that </em>bad. “Okay, I’ll give it a wash,” she agreed, nodding. There was a lull for a moment. “Hey, can I ask you something?” Abby began, knowing if she didn’t just spit it out she’d put it off more. </p><p>Owen was attempting to rub some of the dirt off his hands and glanced up. “Yeah, of course, Abs.”</p><p>“Do you want to go do something with me tomorrow night?”</p><p>He didn’t seem to catch her drift, “What, like shoot some targets at the range or something?”</p><p><em> Oh, Owen </em>. “No, I mean like a date.”</p><p>Owen froze, his eyebrows shot up. “A date? You mean like a romantic date? You’re asking <em> me </em> out on a date?”</p><p>Abby could feel her face growing hot and a smile tugged her mouth, “Yeah, I’m asking you on a date.”</p><p>It seemed like Owen could hardly believe it, he put a hand dramatically on his chest. “Well, damn! Uh, yes, obviously. That’d be awesome. Wait. Am I supposed to plan something?”</p><p>Abby snorted, “No, dummy, I’m asking you. Lev and Yara gave me suggestions of what to do. So 6 PM tomorrow just knock on my door and uh, it’s a date.”</p><p>Owen had a sweet, dumbfounded look on his face. “Yeah. Okay, it’s a date, Abs.”</p><p>“Great! See you then.” Abby gave him a last smile and turned back to her house, trying to keep it together. Her nervousness was now replaced with an emotion she could barely describe. Abby shut the door and leaned against it, she shut her eyes and exhaled. She took a moment, feeling the weight roll off her. <em> It’s a date. </em>Now excited for her day, Abby pushed away from the door and did a spin on her heels, feeling light as a feather.</p><p> </p><p>The plan that Lev and Yara helped her come up with wasn’t super complicated, but still Abby was grateful for their help as she herself wasn’t much of a planner. It was mostly just going to be a picnic on the beach with food and wine they’d pulled together, then maybe they’d go over to Owen’s house and hang out. Abby honestly wasn’t sure how far they were going to go tonight, she’d just go with whatever felt right. But regardless, Abby showered and groomed herself especially well beforehand.</p><p>Lev and Yara also gave her outfit advice, though they were used to completely different fashion. Abby wasn’t sure how much she should listen to them. She almost fit into a knee length dress from the previous owner’s closet, and though Yara and Lev insisted she looked pretty, Abby felt ridiculous in it and took it off. It wasn’t as if she was opposed to girly things, it was just some things didn’t suit her body type very well. When she was a teen, Abby cared more about how she looked and what other people thought when they looked at her, but after her break up with Owen, she stopped almost completely. It became low on her priority list. Now, she was maybe back to caring a little bit.</p><p>Abby ended up going with a scoop necked tee she got from the Firefly’s clothing collection. It fit her well and the neckline made it a bit feminine. She paired it with her favorite pair of khakis that made her ass look good.</p><p>“Think I should risk an eye infection by seeing if any of this old makeup still works?” Abby asked Yara. “Hell, some of it’s unopened,” she added, rummaging through the drawers.</p><p>“I’ve only seen makeup like that used in movies,” said Yara. She and Lev were sitting on the edge of Abby’s bed watching her. </p><p>“Same. Mostly. I have tried it a few times.” Abby pulled out a tightly capped eyeliner pencil and colored her lash line a bit. “But check this out, it’s a wonder what just a little darkness does to your whole face.” Abby turned back to Yara and Lev and they swooned. </p><p>“Your eyes look so pretty like that, Abby!” exclaimed Lev, mouth slightly agape.</p><p>Abby smiled and finished up her work, then taking a trace of a pinkish lip pencil on her lips, just enough to give them a bit of color. Abby leaned back and gave her face a once over and brushed out her loose hair a bit more. She knew Owen was gonna be impressed by how she looked, and that made her so smug. </p><p>Abby checked the clock, it was nearly time. “Well I think I’m done, what do you guys think?”</p><p>“Oh, Abby, you look so gorgeous!” complimented Yara. Her hair was also loose for a change, which Abby had told her earlier looked really nice.</p><p>“You look great, Abby,” added Lev. “You can stay over at Owen’s tonight too. We won’t worry.”</p><p>“Lev!” Abby scolded, slightly embarrassed.</p><p>“What? I meant like watching a movie on his couch or doing a puzzle,” said Lev with a smirk. Owen’s sense of humor was definitely rubbing off on Lev and Abby wasn’t sure if she could handle two of that.</p><p>“Right. Yeah, I’ll probably come back tonight.” </p><p><em> No need to put out on the first date. </em>She thought, though it wasn’t like they didn’t know each other. If it felt right maybe she might-</p><p>There was a knock on the door and Abby jolted up and headed towards it. Yara and Lev stood too, grinning and following her to the stairwell, leaning over and watching her as she went to the door.</p><p>“Have fun, Abby!” Yara called.</p><p>Abby checked the picnic basket they’d packed on the table near the entrance and then opened the door.</p><p>Owen was there in a polo shirt, which Abby found amusing. His hair was immaculately styled like usual, and he held a bouquet of the island’s various flowers. </p><p>“Hey! Aw, these for me?” Abby asked, gingerly taking them from him. She then realized Owen hadn’t yet said anything and was looking at her as if he forgot to speak.</p><p>Abby stared at him for a second and eventually he managed words. “Wow. You look amazing, Abby.”</p><p><em> And I’m not even wearing a dress or anything that sexy. </em>“Thanks,” replied Abby, idly tucking some loose hair behind her ear. “You look really handsome too.”</p><p>They just stood there for a moment and Abby figured they should probably get going. “Hey, Lev? Put these in some water!” Abby called behind her, putting them down on the table and taking the picnic basket. </p><p>She turned back to Owen, “We’re uh, gonna head to this beach Yara told me about and have a picnic.”</p><p>“Sound great,” said Owen, and he reached out for the basket. “Let me hold that. You kids have fun without Abby!” He called up the stairs.</p><p>Abby let him take the basket and shut the door. Leading him out the yard and down the street to the beach, Abby rubbed her ever aching neck. It’d be a ten minute walk or so to the beach.</p><p>“So uh, love the outfit,” started Owen. “Is that makeup on you have on?”</p><p>Abby put a shy hand up to her face. “Yeah, so if I start tearing up or something, know it’s because I used some dead lady’s expired eyeliner.”</p><p>Owen laughed, “Okay, I’ll keep that in mind. Looks good, though.”</p><p>Abby led him down to the beach, apparently it was actually called Lover’s Cove. She’d told Owen as much and he’d put on a shit-eating grin.</p><p>“Lover’s Cove, huh? Sure you want to go there with me and not Shannon?”</p><p>Abby decided to mess with him a little and play dumb. “What? Why would I go there with Shannon?”</p><p>Owen snorted, “Because it’s <em> Lover’s </em>Cove and she’s been trying to climb you since we got here?”</p><p>“Hmm. I didn’t notice.”</p><p>“The other day she literally grabbed your bicep and said it was like it was sculpted in marble.” </p><p>“Well, that’s just a fact.” Abby smirked at Owen, trying to suppress a laugh. Owen shook his head at her.</p><p>“Ah, you’re messing with me. I expected better from you, Abby.”</p><p>“What? Only one of us gets to joke around, huh? Is that how it works?”</p><p>“No, you can keep trying to make jokes, Abs. The thing is that they’re rarely good.”</p><p>“I could say the same for you.” </p><p>“Not true. <em> I’m </em>hilarious. The comic relief.”</p><p>Abby could have dug into him more, but she actually loved his stupid jokes even when they weren’t funny. “Okay fine, you’re the funny one.”</p><p>Owen looked pleased, “I’d like that in writing, Abigail.”</p><p>They reached the beach and it looked empty. There was a tiny chill in the air, but she’d packed a bottle of wine so hopefully that would warm them up. Abby took out the blanket once they’d found a good spot, and Owen helped her spread it out.</p><p>They placed out the food, it was the best she could get from the kitchens, fruit and cold wrapped sandwiches. It was simple but it tasted good.</p><p>Owen turned around the wine bottle, it was one she’d found in the house. “Wine, huh Abs? You trying to break my sober streak?”</p><p>“You had a sober streak?” </p><p>“Only because I couldn’t find any around here. And I need more parts to rebuild my hooch machine.”</p><p>Abby took a sip of the wine, “Yeah, I think you should work on that formula too.”</p><p>Owen rolled his eyes and took a sip of his glass, “Honestly, it wasn’t that bad if you got used to it.” </p><p>Abby ate some more and thought. He really didn’t used to drink that much, maybe just at social gatherings. After they broke up though it was a different story. She felt bad that he’d been in a dark place after that.</p><p>“Why’re you looking at me like that, Abs? Something on my face?” Owen asked her, brushing off his beard. </p><p>“No, sorry. Just thinking, dumb thoughts. Don’t worry about it.”</p><p>He gave her a soft smile. “Okay.”</p><p>They finished up their meal making idle conversation, then cleaned up and relaxed on the picnic blanket, looking out onto the sea.</p><p>The sound of the waves should have been relaxing but it got her thinking again. “I’m not sure if you know me anymore. I’m not that same girl you fell in love with,” Abby said solemnly. It’d been picking at her mind a little. She figured she should just go ahead and say it.</p><p>She could feel Owen in her peripheral looking at her. He always did give her such intense gazes, studying her face trying to figure out what she was thinking. Only because she rarely would outright say it.</p><p>He sat up a bit and looked out, too. “I know for a while I just kept hoping the old Abby would come back. I knew she was gone, but I didn’t want to believe it for the longest time. Even when you changed I knew you were still Abby. Even if you weren’t my Abby anymore.”</p><p>The panging guilt was coming back to her. “Sometimes I wonder if I’ve suffered enough for what I deserve,” Abby murmured. “If I should have lost you too.”</p><p>Owen put a hand on her shoulder. “Abs. You don’t deserve any of it. It’s not about getting even, you can’t live life that way.”</p><p>Abby rubbed the back of her neck, remembering her mindset a year or two ago. Driven by anger, vengeance. She wasn’t like that anymore. Lev and Yara had really made her feel like maybe she wasn’t such a shitty person when she’d met them, maybe even saved them.<br/><br/>“I suppose so. I think I’m different from that old Abby now, too. Lev and Yara, they helped.”</p><p>Abby wasn’t looking at him but she could sense Owen nodding. “I didn’t understand you with the kids at first, why you were so invested. But, then I got it.” He took his hand off her shoulder and emoted wide with his arms. “After we talked I could see how important they are too. We can choose to do the right thing even if we haven’t always done that. It makes me so happy seeing those kids have new lives too.”</p><p>Abby smiled and looked at him. “Me too, I’m proud of them. I think they’re going to do well.”</p><p>Owen nodded, “I think so too. But anyway, the new-mom Abby with the kids, I care about her just as much as the old ones.”</p><p>Abby rolled her eyes, “I’m not their mom.”</p><p>“Okay, fine. You’re their hot babysitter.”</p><p><em> He just had to ruin a good moment. </em> “I’m gonna punch you.” </p><p>Owen laughed and shied away a bit. She flexed her arm but put it down and shook her head. They broke the tension with a chuckle.</p><p>There was a pause. “Anything planned for after this?” Owen asked her, relaxing back again.</p><p>“Oh. Um, honestly I was just going to keep it simple. Lev had some crazy ideas but I don’t think he knows what dates are. I figured we hang out here a bit, then maybe go back to your place, put in a DVD or something.” Owen’s television and DVD player apparently still worked, she and the kids hadn’t really used it though. Lev and Yara loved the feel of the big theaters.</p><p>“Interesting. See, this is why I plan the dates,” teased Owen, leaning forward. </p><p>“Please, your date ideas weren’t that great.”</p><p>“Yes, they were! You just didn’t want to do half of them. Like the first time we went to the Aquarium. I convinced you to go up on the ferris wheel, that’s like a once in a lifetime date.”</p><p>“Yeah, then you shook the cart even though I’m scared of heights, you asshole.” Though that first trip had its ups and downs, but Abby did remember it somewhat fondly overall. </p><p>Owen looked guilty. “Yeah, I did. I’m sorry, that was a shit move. I won’t pick anywhere high up for our second date.”</p><p>“Hmm. Already thinking about the second date?” Abby quirked her brow.</p><p>He had on a sly smile, “Yeah, maybe I am.”</p><p>Owen was looking at her intently but broke the gaze. He got up abruptly, “Look at all this nice, flat sand. I think I’ll draw something in it,” he said, picking up a driftwood branch.</p><p>“Oh yeah? What are you going to draw?” Abby asked, sitting cross legged.</p><p>“I don’t know. I’ll go with the flow,” Owen answered, digging the branch into the wet sand. He etched in a skyline, some buildings. <em> Salt Lake? </em> Abby thought, turning her head, but then he started on the ferris wheel.</p><p>“Seattle, huh? Feeling homesick? Thought you were eager to leave.”</p><p>“Well, it had its good and bad moments,” Owen responded. “Just like Salt Lake. I just am choosing to focus on the good parts. Selective memory, remember?”</p><p>Abby laughed, “Yeah, I suppose.”</p><p>She watched him from the picnic blanket as he finished up the ferris wheel and then started on a figure.</p><p>“Who’s that?” she asked.</p><p>“Come over here so you can see.”</p><p>Abby got up and walked over, stepping around the art. Owen was seemingly drawing <em> Owen </em>. Maybe his younger version but she couldn’t really tell. He then moved the stick over and started on another figure, Abby knew who that would be.</p><p>“Don’t forget my muscles. Make them bigger than yours.”</p><p>Owen chuckled, “Of course. Should I make us hold hands?” He glanced at her with a smirk.</p><p>“Sure,” Abby replied, hoping to surprise him a little, she seemed to succeed as his brows shot up at that.</p><p>“Oh. Alrighty,” said Owen, etching in her arm to reach for his. He was such a dork.</p><p>She watched almost mesmerized as he etched in her form. She thought he’d have trouble with the braid but he etched it with ease.</p><p>“Hmm, practice drawing me a lot?”</p><p>Owen’s stance seemed bashful at that. “Oh, well, you know. You’ve seen most of them.”</p><p>“Most, huh?”</p><p>“Yeah,” Owen replied. He seemed almost shy. “Most. They’re all gone now though, so...”</p><p>“So… Maybe draw me more so they can exist again,” teased Abby.</p><p>“Ah, okay. Maybe I will if you’re nice. You know, I’d really like it if <em> New Abby </em> was nice.”</p><p>“Don’t hold your breath.”</p><p>“Damn.” Owen sighed dramatically and then tossed aside the stick. “It’s done!” He proclaimed, throwing out his arms. The image of them facing towards the horizon of Seattle was artistically etched into the Catalina Island sand. It was beautiful, but also bittersweet that it would be washed away in a few hours.</p><p>“Where’s Lev and Yara?” Abby poked.</p><p>Owen scoffed and did his arm movements again, “They’re, I don’t know in the forest or something. I’m making a romantic picture here, not a family portrait.”</p><p>“Romantic, huh?”</p><p>“Yeah, because well. Um, we’re on a date,” stumbled Owen as she turned to him. Abby was giving him her sultry eyes which always seemed to trip him up a bit. She liked doing that.</p><p>“Well, I really like it,” she said, almost in a whisper, taking a step towards him.</p><p>“I’m glad,” replied Owen, though she could tell his mind was running a mile a minute. He glanced at her lips and she knew what that meant. Abby wondered if his heart was beating as fast as hers right now.</p><p>Abby reached a hand up to Owen’s neck and leaned in, he met her heartily, bringing her face to his with one hand and her torso close with the other. Their lips met and Abby felt in that moment, contentment. That first kiss made joy travel from her lips to her face and down her arms, so she leaned in to do it some more. Her belly felt warm and fluttery, just like it had those years ago when she kissed him for the first time. She didn’t feel guilt, she didn’t feel distracted, she just felt right.</p><p>Abby tilted her head down, breathing hard, their foreheads met and she rubbed her thumb along Owen’s growing beard. One of her eyes was tearing up. She didn’t know what to say, but she did know she wanted to kiss him some more.</p><p>Abby pulled back and just looked up at him and smiled. Owen had the sweetest look on his face. They didn’t need to say anything. Owen gingerly moved his thumb to wipe the wetness under her eye. </p><p>“Is my expired makeup running?”</p><p>“Just a little bit. But it still looks good.”</p><p>Abby snickered and moved back, she traced her hand down his arm to bring her hand into his.</p><p>“How about we head back to your place? You can show me how you’ve redecorated.”</p><p>Owen was staring at their held hands with a smile but his brows raised a bit at that. He was probably wondering what she was intending, but Abby wasn’t even quite sure yet.</p><p>“Yeah, that sounds great, let’s go there,” Owen responded, and they headed back to their picnic blanket to pick it up and bring it back.</p><p>They held hands on the road, and kept giggling like children over stupid things. Owen asked her if they’d want to keep this a secret just to avoid gossip, and Abby agreed and thought it best to keep things under wraps for now. The island seemed so deserted sometimes that walking back together, they didn’t come across anyone until they got to their street.</p><p>“Should I quick pop in my house and bring another bottle of wine over?” asked Abby. They’d finished first one at the beach and the buzz was wearing off.</p><p>“Good idea, Abs. I’ll leave the door open.”</p><p>Abby took the picnic basket and dashed to her house, trying to open the front door quietly. It wasn’t late but she didn’t really want to start up a big conversation with Lev and Yara. </p><p>Abby tried to slip in the kitchen to get the wine and before she knew it two pairs of dark eyes were peering at her from the staircase.</p><p>“Why are you back?” asked Lev.</p><p>“I’m just here to drop off the basket and pick up more wine, I’m going over to Owen’s.” Abby picked out a dusty bottle of red wine from the cupboard.</p><p>Lev tapped the railing.“Oh, good. Is it going well, Abby?” </p><p>Abby spun around to face them, bottle in hand and slightly tipsy over the last bottle and remembering Owen’s kiss.</p><p>“It’s going well.”</p><p>Abby quick cleaned herself up in the bathroom and then bid the siblings a quick farewell and told them to not worry about her, setting off to Owen’s house next door.</p><p>Opening up the entrance to Owen’s, she was impressed by the interior. It was tidied up and nicely lit, she’d seen in briefly when he first moved in but he’d changed it up quite a bit. Owen came around the corner with a smile and two glasses in hand. He looked like he’d just re-combed his hair as well.</p><p>“Got the glasses for you,” said Owen, placing them down on the table. He handed her the tool to uncork the bottle. Abby had a little trouble which Owen teased her about, but soon enough it was opened and they each had a glass.</p><p>“Mmm. Dusty,” Owen proclaimed, tapping the glass.</p><p>“Oh, shush. It tastes fine,” countered Abby, clearing her throat.</p><p>Owen chuckled. “So uh, I got you a gift.” He looked a bit sheepish and moved a few steps back to pull a giftbag from the cupboard.</p><p>“A gift? What, why? And where?”</p><p>“Well, I didn’t get you anything for your birthday and uh, I wanted to get you something for the date. It was short notice but I found this. I don’t know, the lady that used to live here had really nice stuff. I swear I cleaned it, though.”</p><p>Abby made a skeptical face as she took the giftbag from him. If it was lingerie that might be a little weird, and she doubted it would fit her. Abby moved the paper and pulled out a beautiful deep blue silk robe.</p><p>“Oh wow, that’s gorgeous. A sexy silk robe, huh?”</p><p>“Well, it’s just a regular silk robe. Though I bet you would look pretty sexy in it,” Owen said with a smirk.</p><p>Abby rolled her eyes, “You just want me out of my clothes.”</p><p>Owen looked mock offended, “That’s not all I want, Abby! I also enjoy our wonderful conversations and wine drinking.”</p><p>A playful smile broke through Abby’s lips. “You’re such a goober,” she relented.</p><p>“Um, that’s <em> uber </em> goober to you,” corrected Owen. He picked back up his wine glass and took a sip.</p><p>Abby took a swig of hers as well. “Oh my god, shut up,” she grinned.</p><p>“What? That’s my ranking! I’m more goober than the rest.” Owen was smirking, as proud of himself as he’d had been on the day she’d first nicknamed him that. </p><p><em> “Okay, </em> fine. You know, why don’t you show me your house a little, <em> uber goober </em>. I haven’t really seen it yet.”</p><p>“Alright, alright,” Owen relented, and he toured her through the first floor, it was a similar size to hers, with big windows and light colored beachy furniture. Owen explained he was redecorating, he’d taken down most of the old, faded art and was going to put up his own.</p><p>Leading her upstairs, there were three bedrooms and one he converted into an art studio, though he was low on supplies. Abby made a mental note of that to look for some next time she was on the mainland. So far he just had some assorted sketches of things he wanted to paint. Owen told her he also wanted to paint murals on the walls of some of the rooms.</p><p>“...And here’s my amazing balcony. It’s within jumping distance of your balcony in case you wanna come over at night and don’t want to wake up the kids.”</p><p>Abby snorted and shook her head. She looked over the railing, it was just a bit high. “Mmm, I don’t want to fall and break my ankle.”</p><p>Owen met her by the railing, “I’ve seen you jump from higher.”</p><p>Abby finished her glass, “You missed me jumping off the ferris wheel, remember?”</p><p>“Yeah, I did. One of my biggest regrets.” Owen lightly tapped his glass, “Sorry I shook that seat and was an ass to you on the ferris wheel, by the way. I just didn’t want you to miss out, I guess. I wanted you to let loose, y’know. Enjoy it.”</p><p>Abby looked down, that part of their trip had quickly been pushed back in her mind for her once they discovered the aquarium. But of course even though Owen had wanted her to take in the moment there, she couldn’t stop thinking about training. “I forgive you for shaking the seat if you forgive me for being so difficult on that trip. I know you just wanted to spend time with me.” </p><p>Abby didn’t even want to really think about what was on her mind all the time back then, how damaged she was. She was sure Owen was about to crack a joke about her thinking about Joel while he had kissed her.</p><p>“Okay, deal,” was all Owen said though, and he put his hand on hers and rubbed it lightly with his thumb. Abby smiled up at him gratefully. She wanted to hug him, but the sound of a front door slamming down the street reminded her that this balcony wasn’t exactly private.</p><p>“Let’s go inside, it’s a little windy out here,” Abby suggested, and headed back in. Owen followed behind and closed the doors.</p><p>“Well, I guess that concludes my tour. That was my spacious balcony and of course here’s my bedroom, and the bathroom where I shave the remaining chest hair I have left.”</p><p>“Hmm,” hummed Abby, turning back to face him. She could see the little bit of damage speckled on the side of his neck. Shirts really hid most of his scar, probably because a shirt was the thing once on fire.</p><p>“Does it feel weird when you shower?” Abby asked him. She meant the burn but was almost afraid to directly say it.</p><p>Owen hesitated, “A little. I mean, it’s weird having a fried nipple.” He laughed at himself and Abby gave a supportive smile. “The burn also gets oddly warm when I drink and more red.” </p><p>That was a little surprising to hear. Abby came up to him, she put her empty glass of wine on the dresser.</p><p>“Can I see it?” She was feeling a bit bold.</p><p>“You’ve seen it.” </p><p><em> Was he being shy? </em>“Not well. Not actually trying to look at it.”</p><p>Owen seemed hesitant, but seeing her soft gaze he relented. </p><p>“Okay...” Owen allowed, pulling off his shirt over his head. Abby noticed how his arms and stomach seemed more toned now. He was becoming a proper gym rat. It was funny, she herself found herself going less often then when she was in Seattle. She was still going multiple times a week, but she was slowing down just a little. She had used to go whenever she needed to blow off steam, and lately she’d just been so much less troubled that she hadn’t felt the need to break her back in there all the time.</p><p>Owen put his shirt to the side and sat on the edge of his bed, Abby thought he seemed almost nervous. He didn’t need to be that way with her. </p><p>Abby sat on the edge of the bed next to him, the lamp light illuminating his skin with a yellow tint. The scars were shiny, raised. Abby took her hand and gently felt the ridges of his healed skin on his back with the pads of her fingertips. His burn swirled like it was swells of water, it was softer and smoother feeling than she thought it’d be. She could feel this body heat just sitting next to him, smell his familiar scent; it was a bit cozy.</p><p>Owen had so many scars on him, Abby reached her other hand over to trace the length of two long cuts on the other side of his back. She remembered when that happened three years ago, she’d yelled at him for being not careful enough on jobs. Only because he worried her so much. If she’d lost him then, she’d have lost herself too.</p><p>Owen was slightly hunched over, his head down as she examined him. Abby brought her hand over to his stomach, he was heavily burned on his front side as well, the swirl tightly packed as if the shape of the fire itself was imprinted on his skin.</p><p>“Does it hurt anymore?” Abby asked him quietly.</p><p>“Not anymore, really. It’s just sensitive.” Owen turned his head slightly to her but didn’t make eye contact.</p><p>She remembered how his skin used to be, unmarked, soft. They’d been through a lot. “I think when you look at them, they’re actually beautiful. It’s like an ocean. It’s like proving you’ve been challenged, but you made it through.”</p><p>Then, impulsively Abby laid a soft kiss on Owen’s scarred shoulder, the thin skin of her lips feeling the hot warmth from his body. Owen exhaled and seemed to sink towards her. Abby put her other hand on his back and looked up at him. Their gazes met, the light reflecting in his hazel eyes. </p><p>She knew it for sure then.</p><p>“I love you,” Abby said.</p><p>Emotion flowed over Owen’s face, like he could finally release. “I love you, too,” Owen said, his voice barely above a whisper.</p><p>Abby leaned in to kiss him, slow and soft. The opposite of how it’d been on the boat, or the time down the coast. Back then she’d gripped him so desperately, as if she was afraid he’d float away. Back then, she felt as if she didn’t touch someone then she wouldn’t be sure if she were still alive or not.</p><p>But now, the kisses gentle, conscious, she could tell from the way Owen threaded his fingers through her hair and held her body how much he cared for her. She wanted to show the same, leaning into his torso and meeting his kisses back heartily.</p><p>Abby pulled back and took off her shirt. She wanted him now, she’d decided.</p><p>“You wanna do this now? You sure?” asked Owen.</p><p>“Yes,” Abby said firmly, kissing him again and reaching forward to unbuckle his pants. She got them undone and they both stood to pull off the rest of their clothes.</p><p>Things heated up now, she pushed him on the bed and pounced on him, kissing him intensely as Owen’s hands made their way along her body. Owen rolled her over and kissed her neck as his hand made its way down between her legs. Abby gasped and squirmed before moving one of her hands down to touch him as well. He leaned up to look at her with his illuminated eyes and Owen’s breath hitched as she pumped him until he was hard.</p><p>Abby’s free hand traced his freckled face and over the faint scar on his cheek, she remembered idly that she had a similar one now too, though it was on the opposite cheek and turned the other way. Feeling sufficiently turned on, Abby let go of him sensing it was time.</p><p>“Do you want me to get you more ready?” Owen asked her softly. Abby shook her head, she didn’t need it and they could have more fun with that later, right now she just wanted him.</p><p>“No, I’m good. I want you in me.”</p><p>“Okay, I don’t have any condoms. There weren’t any around.” </p><p>He was probably worried about another unexpected pregnancy, Abby really wasn’t. She was at a point in her cycle where she wasn’t likely to get pregnant. “It’s fine, I’m not ovulating.” </p><p>“Oh, awesome.” That was kind of awkward for him to say, so Abby pulled his head down to kiss him to prevent herself from giggling. She felt him line himself up as slowly push into her. The pressure was enough to make her gasp, it was a bit uncomfortable for the first few thrusts, but she quickly loosened up and soon they were moving their bodies in tandem.</p><p>Abby closed her eyes, just focusing on the feeling and the heat of their bodies against each other. Her fingertips traced her lover’s form as he shifted over her like waves. She let out a gasp each time he met her firmly, or nicked her with his teeth.</p><p>There was a fire in her and Abby didn’t want to just lay there, she put her hands on his freckled shoulders and rolled him over with a grin.</p><p>Abby climbed on top of Owen and put him inside again, Owen was laying flat and groaned as she sank down onto him. Abby moved her hips in circles around him, and bit her lip, then transitioning to moving up and down a bit. Owen grabbed her by the hips and thrust up in sync to meet her, making her gasp when they connected.</p><p>After some cycles, Owen propped himself upright with his arms, sitting up to face her. Continuing to move her hips Abby smiled at him and gave his beard a little tickle as he came up to meet her. </p><p>“Abby…” Owen breathed and leaned in to kiss her. Abby put a hand on the back of his head and on his shoulder, kissing him as she moved her hips around.</p><p>Owen turned his head slightly, pushing some of her loose hair out of the way and kissing and sucking on the skin of her neck. Abby let out a noise as he put a hand on her back and pulled her chest flushed with his. She could feel his warm skin, the way his rippled burn felt against her, how it was hotter than the rest of his body. She squeezed her eyes shut, she could feel him in her, and how this time it felt so right.</p><p>Owen had his arms wrapped around her in embrace and gently rolled over to the side so she was on her back with him over her. Abby wrapped her legs around Owen and gasped against his lips as he thrust into her. The sensation was building for her and she was close, and she a helping hand between her legs. </p><p>“Owen… I want you to cum in me. Please. You’re mine.” The words just tumbled out, she didn’t care about any consequences. This moment was too special. </p><p>“You’re mine, Abby.” Owen echoed, staring into her eyes and then leaning down to kiss her neck as he shifted to a stronger angle and thrust in quicker.</p><p>“<em> Fuck,” </em>Abby swore, as she felt herself get pushed over the edge. She dug her nails into Owen’s scarred back and gripped him tightly and then gasped as she sensed him reach his peak as well, looking down at her again and grunting her name. As her orgasm hit in waves she felt Owen pulse and finish inside of her. It never felt this way before, it was perfect. </p><p>Abby repeated his name as Owen fully finished, rubbing his shoulder and neck, she hoped she hadn’t hurt him earlier, she got a little carried away. Abby opened her eyes and looked up at her love. He was sweating, breathing hard, but he also seemed so happy, a grin teasing his lips. He slowly pulled out, and they both gasped as they left each other. </p><p>Owen took a long look at his handiwork, her sweaty and pink, “Damn, Abby. You look good like this.” He rubbed his hand on her inner thigh before moving to the side.</p><p>“You look good like this too,” smirked Abby, giving his nose a little poke, and giving him a kiss on the lips. “Let me just clean up quick.”</p><p>Abby dashed to the bathroom to wipe off and pee. She’d at least follow that part of the safe sex lectures she’d once gotten. Abby wasn’t too worried about the pregnancy part either. Maybe they could take advantage of that more later tonight.</p><p>Abby came back to the bedroom, Owen was still naked as well, and waiting for her. He seemed to have cleaned up just a little. Abby crawled back into the bed, cold now that her pulse was slowing down. Owen invited her in to cuddle up next to her under the sheets. She pressed herself up next to him, under his arm. This was Owen’s good side, so the feel of his skin was soft and familiar against her, reminding her of the old days.</p><p>“You okay?” He asked as she laid her head on his shoulder. Owen pulled back a lock of her loose hair and tucked it behind her ear.</p><p>“Yeah, I’m good. I enjoyed that,” Abby murmured back, playing with his chest hair between her fingers.</p><p>“It didn’t hurt or anything, did it?”</p><p>“It hurt more that time in the boat.”</p><p>“I’m sorry,” he said.</p><p>“Don’t be,” she whispered back.</p><p>They laid there together for a minute. “It’s still early,” Owen said after their heart rates had gone down.</p><p>“How about I put on that sexy robe and we watch a movie?” suggested Abby.</p><p>“You read my mind,” responded Owen, giving her a kiss on the cheek.</p><p>
  
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  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>hell yeah. It was a joy to write this one and finally make these goobers happy. Also lol I like writing smut but because this is an M fic and I didn't want to upgrade it I was like how do I be descriptive without being super explicit so that was fun, haha.<br/>One more chapter and then an epilogue with some time skippage, thanks for taking this journey 😎</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Leap of Faith</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Will things be different this time?</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  
</p><p>Waking up next to Abby Anderson. Now that was something Owen could get used to.</p><p>After their fooling around and their movie last night, she did promise him that she’d stay the night with him. However, Owen had still been paranoid she wouldn’t from all the times he’d expected to wake up with her in the morning and she’d be gone.</p><p>This time though, she was there. Owen had imagined her in that exact place in his bed probably every day since he’d been here. He’d always been a daydreamer, and he’d imagine Abby here sharing his house quite a bit. When he’d make tea, he’d imagine making one for Abby as well. When he sat down to read, he imagined her in the other couch. Maybe now he wouldn’t have to dream so much.</p><p>Abby looked so, so beautiful there, her loose golden hair splayed across the pillow. He’d held her close most of the night which was amazing and comforting, and when he woken up she was facing him, her gorgeous face peaceful and lips parted.</p><p>He stared at her for a bit, just trying to memorize her. If he had a sketchbook he’d draw her like the old days. It was time to wake up though, so Owen gently took her hand and rubbed it. Abby stirred awake softly. She must have not been in a nightmare, Owen couldn’t count the times he’d seen her have restless sleep, thrashing, grinding her teeth, calling out for her father.</p><p>Instead, Abby took a deep inhale and blinked awake. “Hey, Goober,” she murmured groggily. She then turned and stretched, letting out a cute noise that made his heart speed up. Just everything about her, Owen adored.</p><p>Abby relaxed again and turned towards him, also trying to take in the morning.</p><p>Owen traced a finger along the raised veins on her inner arm, following it from her bicep to her wrist. “I love your arms,” he murmured. “They’re amazing.” </p><p>Abby smiled at him. “I think they’re bigger than yours now. You should get lifting.”</p><p>“I should. I’ve been trying,” Owen agreed. “Seeing your perfect, chiseled body up close has me jealous.” He glazed a hand over her stomach, fingers lightly wisping over her hard muscles. She didn’t always look like this. When they were a couple, he saw her transition from soft curves to harder muscle, but it was after their break up that Abby had really bulked up. He knew her old body inside and out, but this one was a little different. Her skin used to be unmarked, now little scars were scattered on her. Not an alarming amount of scars though, Abby had a way of getting out of fights unscathed.</p><p>Owen lifted his head from the pillow and propped himself on an elbow and Abby giggled.</p><p>“What?” he asked sleepily.</p><p>“Your hair,” she grinned pointing to her head.</p><p>“What about my hair?” Owen asked running a hand through it. When it was longer and he didn’t get a chance to style it, it went all over.</p><p>“It’s messy, I haven’t gotten to see it like that in a while. It’s cute.”</p><p>Owen scrunched his nose, he knew it didn’t look good like that. “No.” He brushed off, shaking his head. Then with a smirk he looked at her. “You’re cute.”</p><p>“Oh, shut up.” </p><p>Abby then turned on her back and her smile faded a little. He knew she was thinking about something not too good.</p><p>Owen touched her shoulder, “What? What are you thinking about.”</p><p>“Nothing, just stupid thoughts.”</p><p>“Tell me even if it’s stupid.”</p><p>Abby looked at him, conflicted. “I just, I don’t know. Sometimes I just picture you with Mel. You tried so hard to make her happy like with the Christmas thing and stuff and I… I don’t know.”</p><p>Was she wondering if he still had feelings for Mel? Or maybe she was wondering if she’d broken up a perfectly good relationship? “I was never all in with Mel. I tried for a bit when I was just trying to force things to work out, but even before Jackson I knew I didn’t want that.”</p><p>Abby pursed her lips, then looked up at him curious. “Did you love her?”</p><p>Just the thought of comparing his feelings towards Abby and Mel made his skin itch, but Owen knew he should confront these feelings. Owen remembered when Mel first said she loved him, and he’d said it back out of panic. Habit. When he’d remembered the times he’d pronounced those words to Abby and how he felt when he said it back to Mel, he just seemed like a fraud.</p><p>“I don’t think I was ever in love with her. I cared about her, she was my friend, but… it didn’t feel right.”</p><p>“Hmm,” hummed Abby and she sat up. Owen did as well, propped up by the head board. Abby slid in under his arm and relaxed with an exhale.</p><p>Now it was Owen’s turn to be nosy. “What about you? Catch any feelings for the people you were with while we were broken up?”</p><p>Abby snorted, “No.” She looked at him curiously, “What? You want the play by play on all the people I’ve slept with?”</p><p>“Well, I am a little curious.” She knew everything about <em> his </em>sex life. There was nothing really before her, then just Abby and then Mel. He wasn’t really a hookup guy, no matter how much Manny might have tried to encourage him to be one.</p><p>Abby shifted under his arm. “Well, I don’t have a problem telling you. But you heard the gossip, you know I did.”</p><p>“Yeah, but I just want you to tell me the real story, and what they were like. I’m not gonna get jealous, they’re probably all dead.”</p><p>“<em>Owen. </em>” Abby scolded him, giving him a light punch. He had to admit he was very interested in the story. He knew there were some others she rebounded with, meanwhile Owen had refused to test the waters for months before finally giving Mel a chance. Even though he told himself he wouldn’t be jealous, it could be hard for him to suppress it, depending on what Abby said.</p><p>“<em>Okay,” </em> Abby started. “Well, you heard right if you heard Richie bragging about us sleeping together. He was the first one, he just sorta swooped in once he heard we broke up. I wasn’t going to agree at first but I figured, <em> fuck it </em>. Manny recommended rebounding anyway. The sex wasn’t that great, honestly. It was kind of uncomfortable, actually. He just got really sweaty and stank a bit. Then afterwards he kept coming up to me in the gym asking if I wanted to do it again and I was just like, ‘Fuck off, I’m busy,’ and eventually he left me alone.”</p><p>Owen squeezed her shoulder and laughed, “Wait so you guys only slept together once? He was telling everyone-”</p><p>“-That we were doing it on the regular. No, it was only the one time with him.”</p><p>Owen nodded and pursed his lips.</p><p>“I thought you said you weren’t going to get jealous!” Abby poked him. </p><p>“Well, I’m not so jealous now. I was at the time, though. Made my blood boil how that douche would talk about you.”</p><p>Abby nodded, understanding why. “Yeah he was definitely a douche. Do you want me to tell you about the others?”</p><p>Owen cocked his head, “Yes, I’d still like to know.”</p><p>“Okay, well the list isn’t that long. Next was Josh Davis from the gun range.”</p><p>“Damn, I knew he was always flirting with you. He’s cute too.”</p><p>Abby smirked, “Yeah I knew you’d have something to say about that.”</p><p>Owen grinned at her, remembering. “He’s a handsome guy, I liked the curls. I bet you liked the curls too.”</p><p>Abby shifted under Owen’s arm, “Yes, he had nice curls. He took me on a date even though I said I wasn’t interested in dating. Then we fucked and the sex was disappointing, but not terrible.”</p><p>“Disappointing but not terrible?”</p><p>“He came in like two minutes. Did some things that were a turn off. Then I was thinking maybe it was just a fluke, so I gave him another chance a week later and it was more of the same and I wasn’t really into it.” Abby picked at her fingernails, “So, I dropped him.”</p><p>“Hmm. Now I know why he’d started to glare at me whenever I went to the gun range.”</p><p>Abby laughed. “Probably. He’d ask me out and I’d say no. After that there was Derek, which you heard about I’m sure.”</p><p>“Yeah, I heard about Derek.” Owen couldn’t keep the agitation from his voice, that was the guy Owen wanted to hear her side about. Owen knew Derek wasn’t a bad guy really, there was no good reason for someone to be mad at him. Unless, he was sleeping with your ex or something. </p><p>“We saw each other on and off for like a month. It wasn’t serious. Then he broke it off because he wanted to go out with Cindy.”</p><p>“Then he got eaten by clickers on their first date.” </p><p>Abby sucked air in through her teeth. “Yeah, he did. He was a nice guy though, and actually knew how to use his dick.” She gave Owen’s crotch a poke, and he made a face at her. He couldn’t help but feel a little jealous at that.</p><p>“Well, good for him and you and Cindy.”</p><p>Abby smirked, detecting how he felt. “Then lastly there was Angela. Yeah, months of her hinting how much she’d like to climb me, I figured why not. It was interesting. We stopped a few months before Jackson though, I thought she was getting too attached and I just couldn’t handle that at the time.”</p><p>“Hmm,” replied Owen, nodding. “Good to know.”</p><p>“Yeah, there was also another guy. Named Owen Moore. He had a really great dick and fucked me on his boat last April.”</p><p>Owen looked at her through half lidded eyes. “Oh yeah? That sounds a bit scandalous.”</p><p>“It was. He couldn’t keep his hands off me and he wanted me there and then, pulled my hair, and I wanted him back so I let him.” Abby’s voice was low and she started to rub Owen’s thigh. “It was wrong, but we needed it so badly.” When she described it like that it was pretty hot, and was quickly turning him on.</p><p>“I heard from a source you two fucked more than once that night and have been done it again since then.” </p><p>“Did your source know about right now?” Abby purred, tilting his head with her hand and then leaning forward into a kiss. Owen met her back heartily, lips greeting hers, his beard rubbing against her chin. So what if they were going to miss breakfast?</p><p>Abby leaned forward into his kisses, there was just something about the way she did it that was so familiar and wonderful. Owen took a hand and lightly ran it up her rib cage, then gently palmed the side of her breast. He could help but imagine Richie, Derek, and Cindy do the same. She had every right to explore with other people after him, but Owen didn’t want anyone but him to have her again. He didn’t want anyone in the world but her, and he knew that now.</p><p>Abby tilted her head down to pause their make-out, she probably detected a shift in him. </p><p>“What’s wrong?” She murmured.</p><p>Owen looked down at her brown-blue eyes, big with concern. “Nothing. Just I love you, and I want to be with you.”</p><p>“Me too.” She relaxed her shoulders with a smile and pulled him back into a kiss.</p><p>They were quite a bit late to breakfast.</p><p> </p><p>When they met up with Lev and Yara, those two’s faces were stuck in smirks. He and Abby were trying to play it cool though and just said they had a nice date they both enjoyed.</p><p>“I didn’t even think we were going to see you this morning,” teased Lev.</p><p>Owen tried to cover, “Yeah uh, we fell asleep watching movies and didn’t wake up until late.”</p><p>“Mmhm,” nodded Lev. <em> How much did that kid know about these things? </em></p><p>“Well good thing you showed up,” Yara added, “Clarke came around and said she wants you both to come to this Firefly meeting in an hour. They’re talking about important plans I think.”</p><p>“Oh.” Abby immediately sat up, ready to get more serious. “Well, that’s good, yeah.”</p><p>“You better what the plans are,” said Lev, “And ask when we’re gonna become real Fireflies.”</p><p>Abby smiled at him, “Will do.” She put a light hand on Owen’s arm, “Let’s get some food for before the meeting.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “Abigail.”  </em>
</p><p>Owen only used her full name when she was up to no good, or not paying attention. He liked to use it in a joking manner, and it wasn’t like he was trying to act like her dad or anything because even Doc Anderson hadn’t called her Abigail.</p><p>Abby had basically wandered off snooping at the emptied offices on their way to the meeting room. She turned her head back at him in a slightly irritated pout, “What? I’m trying to find some info in here.”</p><p>“I don’t think you need to go all spy-mode, they’ll fill us in at the meeting.”</p><p>Abby grudgingly left the room, “They probably won’t tell us everything. But fine.” She returned to where Owen was and walked down the hall with him. “And really with the <em> ‘Abigail’ </em>?” </p><p>“You like that I’m the only one that’ll call you that, admit it.”</p><p>“I mean, you always say it like you’re scolding me.”</p><p>Owen smirked, “You love it when I scold you,” he said in a low voice and gave her ass a quick squeeze. Abby jumped, her eyes wide.</p><p>“Owen!” she squeaked, cheeks going red, and he chuckled. He could tell she was only playfully mad. If she was really pissed, he’d already be dead.</p><p>They reached the meeting room, Everson, Clarke, and other various higher ranking Fireflies were there and waiting. A few more shuffled in around the  war table and they were ready to begin.</p><p>“Good morning everyone,” began Everson. “Today I just wanted to go over our plans for the future of our organization and our country.” </p><p>Everson gestured to their map, “Expansion and recruitment. We have a pretty strong hold on our island, and this will be our main base. But we will soon expand on the mainland again and have teams sent back to their posts, if it is safe. For example, our Santa Barbara outfit can’t be sent back until the gang known as the Rattlers is taken care of.”</p><p>Owen’s mind flashed to their encounter with the Rattlers, the way they put their hands on Abby, and nearly choked him to death. If their gang was still going strong Owen knew they wouldn’t mind tearing them down.</p><p>“But our main goal here is the reconstruction of society. In certain spots around the world, people have come together to create their own havens, and not run by the failure that is FEDRA. Like here.” <em> Like Seattle, like Jackson </em>. Owen looked over at Abby, she seemed troubled.</p><p>“In so many places however, the world has gone wild. People are forced to turn into the most primal versions of themselves. Sometimes to survive, but sometimes just because they want to.”</p><p>Everson paused and picked up the old FEDRA flyers identifying the stages of infected. “We have two core problems, restoring society to civility, and a need for a cure.” He looked right at Owen and Abby. “We spent years fracturing FEDRA and attempting to install our own hold. It worked to an extent, but ultimately failed. We lost half of us in the pursuit of a cure. The logistics of making one and delivering it also seem like a pipe dream to some, but may I remind you all how close we were once.”</p><p>Owen could tell Abby was shaking a little from the mention of Salt Lake. Standing against the meeting table, their bottom halves were hidden. Owen took Abby’s hand in his and squeezed it. She didn’t need to go through anything alone.</p><p>And a cure… would they ever find another immune person? One with less of a grudge against them who was also willing to die for the cause. The girl from Jackson and her friends killed five of them and didn’t seem likely to volunteer. It would probably be best for all of them if they all never met again. He and Abby had decided to not mention her to the higher ups, it’s not like anyone alive would be able to make a cure from her anyway.</p><p>“We lost our doctor at Salt Lake, Dr. Jerry Anderson, as well as nearly everyone there, either killed or left our cause. But we are blessed a handful have returned to us.” Everson gestured at the and the other Fireflies began clapping. Owen and Abby smiled politely at them and let go of hands quickly, trying to hide their discomfort.</p><p>“Expansion, reconstruction, civility, and an end to the Infection. These are our goals.”</p><p><em> Sounds good to me </em>. Thought Owen. He was excited to be a part of this again, he knew the Fireflies intentions were in the right place. They wouldn’t make the same mistakes again, hopefully. He glanced at Abby as Everson droned on about their plans. She looked determined and was listening, but under that he could still detect some sadness. No doubt thinking about what happened last time. No matter what, he wouldn’t let her be hurt like before.</p><p> </p><p>“I still have to get a new tag made,” Abby mused to him, waiting in her home’s doorway later that day. </p><p>After the meeting they each had their own duties to attend to, but they all were going to go out as a foursome and just hang out at their favorite spot that overlooked the ocean. Abby flipped Owen’s Firefly pendant that was strung across his neck to the other side, and she ran her finger across his imprinted name and number. </p><p>Abby had gotten rid of hers years ago, she’d tossed it into the wilderness on their way to Seattle. It had been a particularly hard day for her, trying to cope with what had happened to them all only days before.</p><p>The sounds of Lev and Yara bounding down the stairs made Abby drop her hand down quickly and turn to them with a smile. “Hey, you guys ready?”</p><p>Yara had her hair halfway pulled back, and her prosthetic arm looked almost natural on her. Not like an actual arm, but it fit her well. Lev’s hair had been neatly trimmed, the scar on the side of his temple that he’d gotten from his mother when she attacked him was looking about as healed as the ones on his cheeks. </p><p>They both seemed so much more matured than when Owen had first met them five months ago. He knew he didn’t do much, but in a way he kind of felt like a proud dad.</p><p>Of course at that an intrusive thought of the obvious came creeping into his mind and Owen tried to push it back. His and Mel’s paths were different, he was never going to be a father to that baby for more than one reason.</p><p>“Yeah, we’re ready!” exclaimed Lev and Owen pulled on a smile, trying to get rid of the guilty feelings he knew would never truly leave him. </p><p>Abby sensed something was up at his odd silence, “You okay?”</p><p>Trying harder to stamp out the thoughts, he put on a happy face for Abby. “Yeah, I’m good.” He then turned to the kids with a beckoning arm, “Let's get going then!”</p><p>On the way to the beach Abby and Owen filled them in on what they learned at their meeting. The recruitment part interested Yara, and Abby told them that she’d talked with Everson afterwards and he’d agreed Yara and Lev should be initiated as Fireflies soon. </p><p>The grassy hilltop was only a bit of a trek, it was of course a gorgeous view that overlooked the town on one side and the ocean on another. Getting there was always rewarding. For a moment the four stood there, seemingly on top of the world, sea breeze blowing in their hair.</p><p>They all settled down eventually, stretching out their legs, Abby sat down next to Owen giving him a warm smile that snapped him back into the present.</p><p>“I’m glad there’s no demons on this island,” said Lev. “I hate the ones that sneak up on you, I always think they’re around somewhere.”</p><p>“My least favorite would be the big guys with all the spores, we call them shamblers,” said Owen. He’d once gotten some of those spores on him and it’d burned and itched for days.</p><p>He looked over at Abby who had a mischievous smile on her for whatever reason. </p><p>“What?” Owen questioned her. “You a shambler fan or something?”</p><p>“No, I’m not. But I’ve seen worse than a shambler.”</p><p>“What’s worse than that? Don’t say clicker, that’s so cliché.” She definitely seemed to be holding something back, and Owen wanted to know about what.</p><p>Abby sat up and looked at Lev and Yara. “Well. You know how we got separated at the hospital, Lev? When we were getting medical supplies for Yara?”</p><p>“Yeah,” said Lev, “You were gone a while.”</p><p>“I was, because first I got caught by the WLF and they had me cuffed for a bit.”</p><p>This was news to Owen and it alarmed him, “What? Why didn’t you mention this before?”</p><p>“Because I knew you and Yara would freak out. I haven’t even gotten to the good bits yet and I lived, so calm down maybe?” Owen sighed, he knew she was referencing the times he’d told her to calm down, and it’d always piss her off.</p><p>Owen made eye contact with an also concerned Yara, but he decided to back down, he wanted to hear Abby’s story.</p><p>“Okay fine, true. Go on, though. I want to hear.” Owen nodded to her.</p><p>“Great. So yes, they caught me, but Nora found me and let me out.” Abby’s smile fell a bit at that, no doubt remembering how that girl from Jackson had tortured and killed Nora only hours later. “She told me if there were any supplies left, they would have to been in the basement which was crawling with infected. So I went down there and it was like ground-zero quarantine. Stalkers everywhere, stuck to the walls and breaking off and scaring the shit out of me.”</p><p>“Wow,” murmured Lev, eyes wide. He was probably glad he hadn't been there.</p><p>“Yeah,” said Abby. She looked at Owen. “A buddy in there would have been helpful. I thought to myself a couple of times how I’d wished I’d had Manny in there with me. Also maybe you, too. But not if you were going to complain to me the whole time.”</p><p>“I wouldn’t, Abs. I would have gone too if I knew. But it does make me worry when you tell me these things.”</p><p>“Well, just wait,” said Abby with a smirk. She turned back to all of them. “So find myself out of luck in all these rooms. I get to this parking garage and I remember how Nora told me to look for ambulances. I find one that is seemingly untouched and in it is Yara’s medical supplies, finally! Then, I hear this rumbling and I look up and there’s this mass of seven, eight infected just fused into this twelve foot tall monster.”</p><p>Owen blinked, trying to picture that.<em> No way. Infected didn’t do that. Did they?</em></p><p>“Excuse me, what? You saw what?”</p><p>“I’m telling you, there was this giant mass of infected fused together into one big angry monster and I had to fight it. It was crazy. I used like every bullet I had and nearly got my neck snapped multiple times.”</p><p>“What?! That was in there?” cried Lev. Yara’s eyes were wide. Owen was a mix of extreme emotions. First of all, no way. She had to be exaggerating. Second, he really had been so worried about her going off to the hospital for these supplies, and then to hear she had to fight some massive mutant infected?</p><p>“I... how?” was all Owen could muster out.</p><p>Abby grinned, “Because I’m badass, that’s how.”</p><p>Lev interjected, “You should have seen her before we got to the hospital! We were up on the sky bridges. Abby was really freaked out because we were up at the top of the tallest buildings but we made it across. Well, almost.”</p><p><em> Almost? </em> Owen thought. <em> What does that mean? </em></p><p>Abby became a bit less smug remembering that, “Okay yes, I was scared. But those were the most rickety bridges I’d ever seen. Owen, you wouldn’t have believed how shoddily built those were and that I did it.”</p><p>She was right, this was all a lot to take in. He was sad to have missed it. “I mean yeah, I’ve seen you terrified at a one story drop.”</p><p>“Oh, shut up,” Abby punched him in the shoulder and Owen pretended it hurt more than it did.</p><p>“Ow! But I was going to say, I believe it happened and I’m proud of you. Maybe you’re even over your heights thing now.”</p><p>“I’m not, but thanks for the encouragement.”</p><p>“You’re welcome.” </p><p>Yara began to tell them about what she was working on with Carla, they were mass producing some clips for gun straps that would take some of the load off, as well as coming up with various other inventions. Lev and Abby peppered her with interested questions, but Owen’s mind began to drift.</p><p>He watched the waves come in and out, the same push of the water with different outcomes each time. The waves were a cycle, something that would happen till the end of the earth. </p><p>Owen hoped more than anything that this thing that he had with Abby wouldn’t fall apart like the last time. Sure, they were bound to have fights or piss each other off, but it already felt different. Being able to communicate with her now and them both being fully present in their relationship, that was all they needed. At least Owen hoped that. He’d never stopped loving her, she’d never stopped loving him.</p><p>He could hear Abby and Lev chatting to each other but he wasn’t listening. Owen rubbed a tiny scar on his hand he got on one of his last WLF jobs. His mind then shifted to when he and Danny were sent to clear out the Scar camp. Danny had been goading him the whole way, making jokes about him and the Fireflies, about Mel and Abby. Of course Owen had kept it cool as he could’ve, he figured being around Danny was punishment for avoiding Mel.</p><p>Then the job went wrong. That old man’s eyes, they still haunted him. That man had been ready to die, but Owen hadn’t been. Yet he’d nearly died multiple times in those few days. Owen looked over at Abby and Lev and Yara laughing to the side of him. He felt such affection for all of them. What if he hadn’t been so lucky? What would have happened to them? Would they all be here then, smiles on their faces, healthy, happy?</p><p>Owen knew Abby could see him looking at her, yet he nearly jumped when he felt her pinky reach for his, extending out to link onto his.</p><p>Owen breathed out at that. He couldn’t just spiral on that stuff, it would drive him crazy. Abby’s warm gaze set him at ease again. She took her free hand and adjusted her shoulder though with a slight wince, Owen had noticed her do that a bit these past few months, she must have messed it up somewhere.</p><p>“Want a shoulder rub?” He asked her.</p><p>“You don’t have to…” Abby said in a soft voice.</p><p>“I’m more than happy to.” Owen replied and reached up to her back over her bare, tank-topped shoulder. He kneaded his palm in slightly, trying to find the right area. At one spot Abby lightly groaned and dropped her head down, and Owen dug into it a bit more.</p><p>“See, Lev? Yara? When you guys are old enough for boyfriends or girlfriends, if they’re having a hard day, offer to rub their back or feet.”</p><p>Lev tilted his head, “When you’re in a relationship, how do you keep the other person happy?”</p><p><em> I’ve asked myself that a lot. </em>“Well there isn’t a set of rules. But as guys, Lev, we gotta be extra attentive. You know, listen, be sympathetic, offer to do things without being asked. Ladies love that. Right, Abs?”</p><p>“Shut up and keep rubbing.”</p><p>Owen snorted at that. “And Yara, always make sure your guy is treating you well, don’t let him disrespect you. But when you’re young, guys are idiots. So expect that to happen.”</p><p>“I always call out Owen on his bullshit,” added Abby.</p><p>“And I become a better guy each time you do.” Owen leaned forward and gave Abby a soft kiss on her shoulder. He looked up at Lev and Yara who were smiling brightly at them. A realization came over him. “Oh no, am I going to be the strong male role model in your guys’s life? Because maybe we should keep looking.”</p><p>They all laughed at that, and relaxed for a bit longer on the hill, giving advice and telling stories they thought couldn’t benefit the kids.</p><p>Walking back to their homes, Abby took Owen’s hand in hers. They couldn’t help but grin dumbly at each other, fingers intertwined. Owen couldn’t imagine wanting anything else.</p><p>Reluctantly, Owen let Abby’s hand go when they reached their houses. He wondered how long it would take for him to convince her to move into his.</p><p>“You not going over to Owen’s?” Yara asked Abby.</p><p>“Uh, nah. We spent time together yesterday. I can just chill at home with you guys tonight.” Owen glanced around, everybody seemed somewhat disappointed with that answer.</p><p>“That’s cool, see you all tomorrow. Bye, Abs,” he said, and gave her a peck on the cheek. Of course Owen wanted to spend more time with her alone, but it seemed like Abby was trying to take things somewhat slow. Even though they <em> did </em> have sex last night. And that morning.</p><p>Owen settled down in the reading chair in his bedroom, he’d picked out earlier some books in the house he’d wanted to read. <em> Crime and Punishment </em> seemed like it’d be a good book in the 1800’s or something, Owen was having a hard time getting into it. He was starting to severely miss his hooch-making machine. </p><p>Placing down the large book, Owen went out to his balcony. It’d gone dark, the neighborhood was largely quiet, some lights were on down the street. It all looked so normal, Owen wondered if the world on a large scale could ever get back to this. He’d like to see it.</p><p>“Run out of things to do?” came a voice to his left. Owen looked over, it was Abby, her hair out of the braid, a button up shirt over her tank top. It was getting a bit chilly now, even this south.</p><p>“I tried reading. I kind of failed.”</p><p>“Yeah, I was having a hard time concentrating too. Been a little preoccupied lately.”</p><p>Owen smirked, was she flirting? He loved when she did that. “Lev and Yara in bed?”</p><p>“They are, just tucked them in.”</p><p>“Why don’t you hop on over here then? They don’t need to know.”</p><p><em> “Owen,” </em> Abby shook her head but she was smiling. “We have training at 8AM tomorrow.” </p><p>“And? That’s in like ten hours. Come on, take a little leap of faith and let’s hang out for a bit.”</p><p>Abby walked to the edge of her balcony, the railings were low, the gap between the houses a few feet. “You know, I could just go down the stairs through your front door.”</p><p>“The kids might hear you. Plus, I’ve seen you make jumps twice this.”</p><p>“Yeah, I have.” She looked down, something even this height was probably scaring her a bit. Abby turned back to him though, a fire in her eye. </p><p>“Fuck it.” She said, and stepped one foot and then the other over her railing. Then with a rather graceful leap she got her feet over to his railing and pushed herself over.</p><p>“There you go, Abs! I knew you could-” Owen’s words were cut off with her mouth on his. He felt his stomach warm up and flip like he had butterflies in him. Owen wasn’t sure if that sort of feeling was supposed to go away at some point, because he always felt like that when he was with her.</p><p>His eyes were getting a bit wet and blurry. “I love you,” he said when they pulled apart.</p><p>Abby took his face in her hands and gazed into him with her beautiful, sea colored eyes.</p><p>“I love you, too. Always.”</p><p>
  
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>*wipes away tear* one more chapter...</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Epilogue: The Times Ahead</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Snippets of the various months ahead</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>sorry this took so long, it's because it's long</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>
    
  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>When Lev and Yara were officially inducted into the Fireflies, Abby couldn’t be prouder. Watching the ceremony and seeing those two beam at her after taking their oaths had her hiding her face and wiping her eyes on her sleeve. They looked like proper Fireflies now, professional and mature. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Carla was in charge of pressing new pendants, and Abby went with them there. She needed a new one as well. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>As they walked up the path to Carla’s house, a question struck Abby. “You know I never asked. Do you guys have like a last name? A family name?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yara shook her head. “Our parents did once, but you lose it once you join the Seraphites. You become part of a different family then. I don’t even know what it once was.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh,” replied Abby. She was still pretty adverse to a lot of the Seraphite traditions. “It might be a little weird if yours just say ‘Yara’ and ‘Lev’.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lev piped up. “What if we used your last name? ‘Anderson,’ right? Would that be okay?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Really?” Abby cocked her head. She wasn’t expecting that exactly. It might be nice. They weren’t quite her kids, more like younger siblings. Definitely family. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Abby imagined her dad. He would have loved them, she knew. He loved helping those that needed it, to no benefit to himself. That zebra, the last day she had with him. She thought at the time it was so irresponsible and reckless for her dad to sneak out to check on some animal when he should have been keeping himself safe at the hospital. But that’s just the person he was. Abby thought now she was a bit more like him, too. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She hoped that momma zebra and her baby were still out there.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think… Lev Anderson and Yara Anderson sound like great names.” Her mouth tugged into a wide smile and she grabbed each of their shoulders. “I always wanted siblings, y’know?”</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s too high.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Owen’s idea for a fourth date was taking her to a certain building of interest he’d found on the mainland. Before that, his idea for the second was a hike to the more deserted parts of the island and checking out the old airport. These were more elaborate than her idea for their third date, which was them starting to watch a movie but then just having sex instead.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just stick to the edge. It’s fine.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why’d you have me come here? It’s not romantic to scare me.” The apartment building he’d taken them to had a huge hole in the interior leading to about a four floor collapse.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Owen stepped back from the ledge and took her hand. She knew it was sweaty and that she was being difficult now, but he knew how she hated heights. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her boyfriend gently smiled and pulled her towards the ledge. “C’mon, you goober. Just look at me, you’ll be fine I promise.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Abby just whimpered as she began to shuffle along the wall next to him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He gripped her hand, “I wouldn’t make you do this if I didn’t think it was worth it. Just take it slow.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Abby bit her lip and kept her eyes on Owen as she made it across. Sometimes she felt like maybe heights didn’t bother her so much anymore, and others she just felt petrified as she had on that sky bridge.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Abby made it to the other side with an exhale. Owen pulled her in for a hug, “See? You’re fine. You did it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She gave him a squeeze back, a bit embarrassed. Looking back, maybe the ledge wasn’t so bad. “Alright, fine I did it. Now show me why we’re here.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, right over here, Abs.” Owen took her by the hand over to an apartment with the door slightly ajar. “Eddie and I went through here during that supply run last week and I found this awesome place.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The apartment he’d found was largely intact, nicely furnished, but Abby knew right away why Owen brought her there.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wow, look at all these books!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The walls were covered in bookshelves, fitted tightly with hardcovers and paperbacks, still looking in good shape. Abby pulled out one, there was hardly any sun or moisture damage.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I figured this would be a good thank you for finding me those paints the other week.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Abby smiled at him, “Well I wanted to help you out, it was no biggie.” It actually had been a bit of a pain fitting all those paint supplies in her backpack, she’d had to leave behind her medkits to fit it all.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Owen put a hand in her back and guided her over to a stack of books across the room. “Okay, so you can of course check out all the books but I picked out some I thought you’d like.” He picked up on from the stack, </span>
  <em>
    <span>The Odyssey</span>
  </em>
  <span>. “I know you lost your collection so I tried to remember the classics you loved.” Owen handed her book after book to look at. He was right on for most of these being books she wanted to own again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She snapped the book shut, “I’ll have to take as many of these with me so I won’t have to make the journey over.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Owen shouldered off his backpack, “Yeah, but if you like we can hide out here too.” His eyes looked her up and down, “It’s really private.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Abby laughed and went in for a a quick kiss, though Owen held her there longer. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She smiled against his lips, “Well, that’s not a bad idea either.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Abby, Owen, and Lev were tasked with heading to the mainland and clearing out a straggler band of Hunters that were still causing trouble out there. The Fireflies were soon gearing up to make a new outpost in Los Angeles and then soon talk about moving outwards again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The mission had been going well, Lev still preferred his bow, but that was a good weapon for stealth. When clearing out Infected on the way there, Lev switched to the pistol Abby taught him how to use well. Together, the three made a pretty good team of taking down runners and clickers.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They’d come upon the camp the Hunters were squatting in. Abby took one out by stealth but the group caught sight of them after that. It turned into a firing match after that, and Abby was pretty sure their side had a lot more ammo. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Hunter weren’t about to just give up though, and Abby felt her breath catch in her throat as a flaming bottle from the other side came hurling towards them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Duck!” she screamed as it exploded into flames, she and Lev went right and Owen went left, the bottle breaking between them. Abby could hear Owen shout and frantically dodge away from the projectile trying to see if he was caught in it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Owen was patting his sleeve off but didn’t seem to be fully engulfed in flames like he’d been years before. Even so, he looked highly distressed. Abby knew she had to kill these guys quick and get to him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The fight was a bit of a blur, Abby attempting to flank the group, not sure how Owen and Lev were doing. She shot down one, another, got in close with a boney looking older man with a beard and hit him hard with her axe.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Seeing that was everyone in the immediate area, Abby scrambled back to the other end of the building. Lev caught up with him after a moment, hopping down from the collapsed second floor. She could still here some sounds of struggle nearby.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Fuck!” </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Abby heard Owen swear and push a figure away from him, the Hunter’s neck pouring blood from a knife wound as they slumped to the ground. That seemed to be the last one and Abby rushed up to Owen, her heart beating out of her chest.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Owen was shaking, clutching his bleeding forearm, thick blood dripping from between his fingers. His sleeve was blackened and she could smell the smoke from it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Abby saw the blood on him, both his and that of others. In her mind Abby flashed the blood Abby had seen over the years. It had come mostly from the wounds of the people she’d killed. Some of them begged beforehand, some never got the chance. Some had families that loved them, some had no one.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She blinked, she needed to keep it together. Abby pulled her bandages from her backpack, she took his arm in her hands, his blood getting on her hands as she tightly wrapped it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I hate seeing you hurt, Owen. I hate it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Owen’s breath was shaky, “You see that a lot, yeah. Don’t you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Too much. It scares me.” </span>
  <em>
    <span>We’ve had too many close calls. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Owen reached a bloodied finger out to the slash mark on her arm she’d gotten a few months ago, “But we match now.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Abby pulled the gauze tight. For some reason she was on the brink of crying. “You don’t need any more scars.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Their wounds healed, and both of their spirits grew again. Things were really going great between them over the next few months. They spent a lot of time hanging out, just the two of them. Abby really didn’t mind it, this slowing down, enjoying the moment. She loved just being with everyone, not only Owen but Lev and Yara as well which she did every day. In the back of her mind she had a morbid reasoning that in this world, any day might be their last.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was still cold, early March. One year since Jackson. Abby and Owen had talked about it the night before. Abby had been moved to tears remembering it all, missing her friends. Neither of them expected her to get so emotional, they had gone into the conversation just expecting to reminisce a little. Abby chalked up the tears to PMS, her period was late anyway. She did miss them though, Manny, Leah, Nora, Nick, Jordan. They all chose to come with her on her mission, something she knew now had been a horrible mistake. If she’d knew what would have happened, how it made everything worse, she’d have dropped it. But that’s not what happened.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That next morning she woke up feeling a bit ill. Walking to breakfast, Abby caught a whiff of some bacon being cooked and was hit with a wave of nausea. She hadn’t yet gotten to the cafeteria building when she vomited outside in a bush. Abby wasn’t sure what had gotten into her lately, and hoped no one would notice. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Just her luck though, Yara spotted her as she left the cafeteria and came over as Abby was wiping off her mouth. Not being able to hide what happened or to give a good enough excuse, Yara took Abby to the medical center to get herself checked out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You know what this is, Abby?” the nurse asked Abby, holding a box at her after she’d given the nurse her symptoms.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Um,” Abby cocked her head to read the print.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The nurse held it closer. “It’s a pregnancy test.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Abby’s blood ran cold. “I- Uh, what?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well you just told me you’ve been feeling nauseous and your period is late, and though it may just be irregular and you may just have a stomach bug, you’re also sexually active with your partner and you’re not using the best protection, right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Abby felt her cheeks go pink, “He pulls out most the time, and um, we couldn’t find any condoms around here. On ovulation days we’re more careful.” She knew she’d been pushing it, but it had worked so far.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The nurse shook her head, “We do have a small supply of condoms here but granted, they are all quite expired. This test should still work though, so I suggest you go urinate on it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Abby took the box and went and did just that. Her mind was going a hundred different ways, her hands had shook when she opened the box. Abby came back out and waited with Yara for it to give the results.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What do you want it to say?” asked Yara softly. Yara out her hand on Abby’s should sensing her nervousness.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Abby shook her head. In all honesty she hoped it would be negative. That was a lot of pressure, responsibility. Her life would never be the same. It had already changed so much in the past few years. At the same time she had all these fears, Abby kind of wanted it to be positive. When she was a young teen she had dreamt about having a family with someone, then she’d met Owen a few years later and thought then maybe he’d be that person. She never stopped thinking that. So when Owen was going to have a family with Mel, it </span>
  <em>
    <span>hurt.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Abby looked down at the test, two lines meant pregnant. There was one, and slowly a second began to appear.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My dad would have killed me if he saw this,” Abby moaned and put her head in her hand. She’d definitely gambled a bit with what she did with Owen and it seemed it was all coming to fruition.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Really? What’s it say!” urged Yara, leaning to look.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>In all actuality, Abby knew her Dad would have scolded her for maybe a minute, but then he’d beam at her and get all excited. </span>
  <em>
    <span>“I like Owen.”</span>
  </em>
  <span> That’s what he’d said to her once, that he approved. Maybe it was all meant to be after all.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m pregnant.” Abby stared down at the two fully colored lines and knew it was true.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yara had been so excited which made Abby as well. Owen was going to be gone on a patrol for a few hours though, and anxiety grew in Abby with every minute that went by. She volunteered for some miscellaneous duties around the base just to keep her mind occupied while she waited for them to be able to talk. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>How was he going to react? Owen had told her how he’d found out Mel was pregnant. Mel hadn’t said anything for months, not knowing for sure if she was really pregnant. Then she’d finally told him her suspicions right before Jackson. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>A year ago almost exactly. Perfect timing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He never told her in depth his feeling about Mel’s pregnancy but Abby had gathered he regretted it happened and felt little attachment. He’d wanted to break up with her before it’d happened. That wasn’t the case at all now so hopefully, hopefully, he’d be excited.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yara and Abby left the medical center and Abby went her separate ways, resting at home for a bit then taking up some maintenance jobs to keep her mind from racing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Abby was helping clean the boats at the dock, when Owen and his squad came back. Their boat eventually came into view over the horizon and Abby felt a twist in her stomach. She was feeling very nervous and slightly nauseous and knew Owen would pick up on it right away.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They docked and Abby gave Owen a casual wave and headed over. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, Abs,” her boyfriend greeted, slinging his rifle off his shoulder and pulling her into a hug. “You had cleaning duty?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Abby’s brain was muddled, “What? Oh, yeah I volunteered because uh-“ She couldn’t think of a reason that wasn’t the real reason. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You okay, Abs? You look a little pale,” Owen asked, taking her hand in his. Abby glanced around, the Fireflies unloading the boat were giving them looks. Everyone basically knew they were dating now, but Abby wasn’t about to give them a big show.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Let’s just head back to your place. I want to talk to you about something.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Abby’s nervous energy seemed to rub off on Owen a little. Even though it only took about fifteen mixtures to get back to his house, Abby could tell Owen’s head was spinning with worst case scenarios.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They settled down on his couch, and Owen spoke first. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re not breaking up with me, right?” The way Owen said it kind of heartbroken made Abby’s heart skip a beat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What? No, no. I love you, it’s not that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Owen’s tensed posture eased up a bit. “Oh, good. Okay. Then what is it?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Abby looked up at Owen, his big hazel eyes were wide with concern. Would he be happy? Would it even be okay for them to be happy about this? </span>
</p><p>
  <span>But the way he held her hands in his, Abby knew it’d be alright.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m pregnant.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Owen’s eyebrows shot up. His mouth opened and closed. He knew she wouldn’t joke about stuff like this.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you sure?” he said after a beat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I went to the medical center, they had a pregnancy test and it was positive. I believe it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She saw a wave of emotion hit him, and Owen pulled her into an embrace, maybe to hide his face. Abby held him back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Owen’s voice was thick and he gripped her back tight. “Abby, oh my god. That’s so great.” He rocked her a bit and she could feel him shake a bit, she supported him back. “You’re going to be the most amazing mom, Abby. I’ll be there for you. I promise.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You will?” This was hitting her hard now too, she felt tears fall down her cheeks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I will. I promise I’ll do it right this time.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Abby sniffed, her tear droplets falling to soak into his shirt. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay. Good.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Being pregnant was the oddest feeling, realizing you were carrying another person. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Besides the back pain, her emotions were also all out of whack. Abby sometimes found herself snapping at her family, then crying afterwards because she felt bad about snapping at her family. They never seemed to get mad at her though, Owen would give her space, Yara had soothing words, Lev would give her hugs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>For about six months Abby tried keeping up her normal routines, except there was a lot less training and fighting she could do. Anytime Fireflies went out on a mission and didn’t come back, Abby couldn’t help but feel guilt that she hadn’t gone with them and helped.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Owen insisted she take it easy, which was hard at first. But once her body really started changing, Abby began to accept it more. She couldn’t keep up normal workout routine and Abby saw her muscle mass shrink down. She supposed she didn’t need it right now but it still made her a bit sad. Her arms thinner, her stomach growing, her breasts swelling, Abby had never seen herself like that before and it was a lot to get used to. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Owen was trying to right his wrongs for how absent he’d been during Mel’s pregnancy. He went on walks with her almost daily and constantly asked her what he could do to help until Abby had to tell him to stop asking, she’d just tell him. He told her she was beautiful every day, and did little signs of affection when he could tell she was feeling down. Sometimes she just wanted to cuddle, other times she didn’t want to be touched and he respected that.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There were still patrols and jobs to be handled, and Owen would go on some, though Lev often skipped out. Owen would always tell her beforehand and bring her something back. Abby hated missing out, she wanted to be able to get back to being like she was before, at least somewhat, but as her stomach grew, she wondered how much her baby would change that after they arrived.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lev and Yara were ever attentive, helping out especially when Owen was away. Abby took up fishing with Lev, something they hadn’t done since being on the boat. Abby would also sometimes hang out with Yara and Carla with their projects. Carla seemed to know how to do everything and taught her to knit so she could make little clothes for the baby. Abby found knitting pretty soothing, and it kept her hands busy.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was a point when she was almost seven months pregnant Abby felt terribly sick with stomach pain. Lev and Yara were there to take her to the medical center but Owen would be away on the mainland for patrol until that evening. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>For an hour she was worried sick, sweating, hoping everything was fine. If her dad was there she knew he’d have the best advice, know just how to make her feel better. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It luckily wasn’t too serious, the doctors gave Abby some fluids and pain meds and after a few hours sent her back home to rest. But the situation scared her, and Lev stayed and tucked her in with a blanket and read to her while waiting for Owen to come back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Owen rushed to her that evening, breathing hard and disheveled, someone must have told him at the docks she’d gone to the medical center. He asked her what happened and Abby explained what the doctors said about her just needing rest, but she was still feeling upset by it. Lev left them alone and Owen got into bed with her, holding her close.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry I wasn’t there, Abs,” he’d said, putting a hand on her stomach. “I want to do things right, I want things to be good.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Abby out her hand over his. “I just… Everything about this is so scary. And I worry about this baby growing up without parents. Or losing its parents like we lost ours and it just fucks them up just the same it did us.” </span>
  <em>
    <span>Maybe me more than you.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Owen held her tighter, “I know. That scares me, too.”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Just the thought of losing anyone else. I can’t, I can’t. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Abby felt her eyes well, “Don’t leave me alone.”</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Two weeks after that, Abby was feeling much better. Owen wasn’t going to go on mainland jobs anymore, and Abby continued her new hobbies. Sometimes she even went down to the park and watched Lev play games with his friends. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Abby also still had a few duties herself, she attended the city hall meetings and stayed up to date on the status of the movement. The Fireflies were going to step up their recruitment soon and spread the word that they were back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The weather was getting chilly again, but Owen took her back to Lover’s Cove that evening and she sat, wrapped in a blanket, watching the sunset with him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You look like a burrito all bundled up like that,” he’d teased.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mmm, my favorite,” Abby mused back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The most beautiful,” Owen gave her a peck on the cheek, “and tastiest burrito I’ve ever seen.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Abby gave him a humble smile, “Hmm. Thank you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Owen gazed at her with soft eyes. “I’m excited for our baby.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you now?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes. They’re gonna have the sickest bedroom too.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Abby had basically moved into Owen’s house and he’d converted one of the bedrooms to be a nursery. Yara and Lev helped with the furniture and Owen was in the middle of painting the walls. He’d asked her what he should paint on them, and Abby had said a colorful jungle. That was what her dad once painted on hers.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Abby hummed and smiled, “Yes. I’m sure you’ll do a good job with that and that they’ll love it. I loved my painted walls until I had to move away.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, if we stay here forever or end up somewhere else, they’ll always have us. Can always paint more walls.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Owen was fidgeting, he seemed a little nervous to Abby and she didn’t know why.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What are you thinking about?” she murmured to him. Under the blanket she cradled her stomach, she hoped it wasn’t anything negative.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Owen was looking down, but when he looked up at her again his eyes seemed soft and warm. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Abby… I love you more than anything in the world. When I felt like I didn’t have a place or anyone that cared about me, you showed up and made me happier than I’d ever been in my life. I wasn’t alone anymore.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Abby smiled at him and pushed a hand out from her blanket to put on his knee. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Owen continued, Abby saw a shine in his eyes. “I know we drifted apart for a bit, and we’ve been through the absolute worst shit, but we both got through it. And now we’re stronger than ever.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Shifting his weight, Owen pulled something small out of his back pocket. Abby felt her stomach drop in shock and she let out an involuntary gasp. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know I told you a long time ago that I didn’t think I could love you more than I did in that instant. But I could. Every day I love you more, Abigail. I wanted to give you this ring to show you that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He held out the ring, it sparked in the evening light. There was a larger diamond in the middle and on either side, two smaller diamonds. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I- uh, like a marriage ring?” Abby knew her words weren’t coming out right but she was in shock. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>With the hand that wasn’t holding the ring, Owen nervously rubbed the back of his neck. “Well, yes if you want to get married, or be engaged. Or it could just be like a sign of love thing, whatever you prefer. I wasn’t sure what you wanted. Also, you wouldn’t need to wear it out when you’re out fighting things or what not…”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>He’s so sweet and nervous. As if I’d say no after everything! </span>
  </em>
  <span>Abby smiled sincerely, “Well, I guess yes to all of that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Really? All of it, like marriage?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well we don’t need to get married right away or anything but yeah might be nice. I’ll definitely take it and wear it. A sign of love.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That makes me so happy.” Owen grinned and leaned in to give her a kiss. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mm, gimme my ring,” Abby murmured, wiggling a bit out of her blanket wrap and taking out her hand.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Owen gently took a hold of her hand and lined up the ring to it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is it even going to fit, though?” Abby asked, doubtfully. She didn’t exactly have dainty fingers.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not the first time you’ve asked that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Abby rolled her eyes and pulled away her hand. “I’m going to kill you, this is an important moment. Can you act like a grown up?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Owen laughed and reached for it back, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry! It was too perfect though.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Abby couldn’t  keep her smile down for long, and let him take it again. The ring actually fit perfectly, glittering in the light.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wow, it’s amazing,” Abby said quietly..</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So I found it in a safe a couple weeks ago and I actually tested it on you while you were asleep a few days ago.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You did? A few weeks ago, huh.” Abby must have slept through it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah.” Owen looked soft. “So funny thing is, I’ve been looking for the perfect ring for you for years. You know, check in drawers, safes, the occasional body. None of them were right. Then I found this one and I just knew it would fit you. It was a sign that I ask you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Abby took his hands in her ringed one and smiled down at them. “Been looking for years, have you?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I knew it could only be you that I’d ever feel this way about.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Abby leaned in and gave him a kiss on the cheek. “You are such a romantic. Did you find a ring for yourself?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Owen made a face, “No. That wasn’t as important, I guess.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Abby put her ringed hand over her belly. “Well, when this Goober is out and I can find an equally perfect one for you too, I say we make it super official.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That sounds great to me.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Giving birth was not pleasant, and Abby didn’t think she’d want to do it again. She kept wondering during the process if she’d been in worse pain than that, and after a couple contractions she decided that she hadn’t.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>So often through the pain, Abby kept thinking about her dad. The head doctor on the island kind of looked like him with his mask on, though it was probably just the outfit. Still, imagining it was him helped.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Owen was there the whole time, trying to not freak out. Before it was time to push, Yara and Lev were both in the room with her too, talking through contractions and helping them both stay calm and distracted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When the baby was finally ready to be pushed, Abby had told Owen she wasn’t sure if he should hold her hand because she might actually crush it. He did it anyway.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>At least it didn’t take too long for the baby to come out after that. She must have been a strong pusher, Abby had idly thought. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>When her baby was put in her arms, she seemed so small to Abby. A crying baby girl with a tuft of light blonde hair. Her skin was impossibly soft, her fingers so tiny, she looked so absolutely perfect.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Zoey.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>That’s what they’d decided to name her.</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>A full night’s sleep was so rare for Abby, but Owen was starting it off right on her birthday by taking care of Zoey and feeding her before his fiancee even woke up. When Abby awoke, she could still remember her dream. She was following a pack of wolves, but something was following them. When she finally saw it, it was a lone wolf, skinny, with its head low. Staring at her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The dream was somewhat unsettling, but when she woke up, seeing Owen’s familiar silhouette was a comforting sight. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good morning, birthday girl,” Owen murmured.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Abby yawned and rubbed her eyes. Owen was on the bed slightly propped up, holding a piece of paper. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What’s that?” she asked, turning towards him and brushing her long hair from her face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s gift number one.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh? How many gifts am I getting today?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, certain gifts will be bigger than others. But at least one for every year you’ve been alive, so expect twenty two more.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Abby laughed, “Okay.” She took the paper, she knew it would be drawing, not that she didn’t love his drawings he did. It was another sketch of her sleeping, and Abby still felt so soft at it. Each time he drew her was like a time capsule. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s beautiful, you’re getting pretty good at capturing my likeness.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Owen reached a hand out to trace her jaw. “You’re still more gorgeous than I could possibly draw.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, shut up,” Abby muttered with a smile, as he leaned in to kiss her on the lips. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s gift number two.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What? That counts as one?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Owen grinned, his eyes crinkling, “They vary heavily in size, they can’t all be big. Just wait for this evening.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hmm, fine. I’m excited.” She ran her thumb on the side of his face over the scrunched lines by his eyes. He always had them, but they were a bit more set in now.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Remember when we first met?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course I do. You were the cutest little button. Your arms weren’t nearly as big.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Abby rolled her eyes, he was trying to hype up her muscles when she’d lost much of her bulk over the past year. She was back in the gym, but she didn’t need to be that buff again and wasn’t really trying to be at the moment. Her post-baby body was taking some getting used to, it’d been a hectic past three months. Abby didn’t like her slight extra skin and leftover bulge from the baby, and was working to get that worked off. At least the weirdness of being post-partum was wearing off.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, sure.” Abby gave him a smirk, “You know, I was just a kid back then. You were older. Perving on me. What was the deal with that?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Owen scoffed, “Oh please. I’m like two years older than you. You were already a Firefly who’d killed people and shot up infected like no one’s business. Not to mention you were super bossy around base, not some innocent flower.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wow. Super bossy?” Abby folded back the drawing and put it to the side.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Owen scooched in closer, putting his hand on her side. “Yeah, you bossed me around a lot and it was really hot.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You like that sort of thing? Was it also really hot when my dad bossed you around?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Owen rolled back and started laughing hysterically, Abby was as well, she wasn’t quite sure why she ruined the moment with her dumb fleeting thought, but it felt good to laugh. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Unfortunately, their noise seemed to wake Zoey, and Owen got up out of bed to get their baby. He promised more alone time that night; he had it all planned out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She wasn’t going to see Owen or Yara for much of the day, Abby was going to go with Lev to the north end of the island for the afternoon and fish. Meanwhile Yara and Owen were staying back to watch Zoey and definitely</span>
  <em>
    <span> not </span>
  </em>
  <span>set up a birthday party for her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>So then for the next part of her day Abby spent it just relaxing and spending time with Lev, who was really coming into his own lately. Lev was comfortable taking out infected by himself and going out on patrols. Though, he missed her coming along with him, and she did too.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They came back in the middle of the afternoon with a decent haul. It’d been nice to have a few hours break away from her baby, but Abby was eager to get back to her. The duo came up to their houses to see Owen somewhat hastily leaving their house, holding a box.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh good, you two are back. Lev, do you mind taking this to the uh, </span>
  <em>
    <span>place?”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Abby played along and didn’t ask, she knew they were setting up a not so secret surprise party at city hall.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sure!” replied Lev, setting down the cooler of fish, and running up to take the box from Owen.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Owen gave Abby a sheepish look, “Um, it’s not quite ready yet, we need like another half hour.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Abby wrapped her arms around him, he seemed so stressed and it was so sweet he was doing this all for her. She didn’t need a big party but she knew how he liked doing nice things for her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s fine. If you have stuff to still do, go do it. Is Zoey still here? I can watch her.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Owen held her back, “Yeah, she fell asleep so she’s up in her crib. Judith was offering to come over and watch her when we’re ready.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Judith was a really sweet girl who had a lot of experience with kids, she’d watch Zoey for a short time before when they’d wanted a date night and Yara and Lev were busy. Abby didn’t particularly like leaving her baby with others, but maybe it’d be okay for just a few hours.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Abby leaned back, “Okay, that’s fine I guess. You go finish whatever you’re doing, I’ll wait here.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Owen smiled and gave her kiss, “Thank you, babe. It’s gonna be great, it’ll count for present three through ten.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Abby chuckled, taking a step back towards the door. “Can’t wait. Come get me when you’re done.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Will do,” Owen turned off the doorstep and headed down the lawn towards city hall. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Abby could only imagine the decorations he’d set up. Smiling softly to herself, Abby headed into her and Owen’s house, and up the stairs to check on their baby. Sure enough, sleeping soundly in her bed was Zoey, in a seafoam onesie and sucking her thumb. Abby peered in quietly, she wanted to hold her but there was no need to wake her from her nap. Abby just watched her breathe for a moment, before idly remembering that Lev left the cooler of fish outside.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I better bring that in the house,</span>
  </em>
  <span> Abby thought, grudgingly leaving the crib’s side and heading back out again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The cooler was right where she left it, Abby leaned over to pick it up and headed back in. She’d have to try cooking these later, though she wasn’t exactly the best cook yet. Owen wasn’t much better at cooking fish either. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Abby placed the cooler on the counter, idly thinking about how she should store the fish in the fridge, when she paused. She could hear the ambience from outside almost a bit too well, and there seemed to be a draft. Did Owen leave a window open?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was a faint squeak of wood and a dull thud. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Was Yara in here?</span>
  </em>
  <span> Abby thought, though she felt a bit of a pit in her stomach. That didn’t seem right. Quietly, she tiptoed away and up towards the stairs.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Something is off. No, no. Everything’s fine. You’re just paranoid. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Abby peeked her head in the art room, the window was cracked open. That must have been from earlier, Abby checked around the room and nothing seemed amiss. She shut it closed with a bit of a squeak to the wood. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Abby;s still couldn’t shake the feeling and headed over to Zoey’s bedroom, the door still slightly ajar.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Jesus fucking Christ!” </span>
  </em>
  <span>Abby swore, frozen in shock in the doorway.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She was still as skinny as Abby remembered. She was wearing a Firefly delegated uniform, but the clothes didn’t fit her right. Her slender fingers gripped the side of Zoey’s crib as she peered in, on one arm peeked out a fern and moth tattoo.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What are you doing here?” Abby demanded. She wanted to run up and snatch Zoey away, but the trespasser was right next to the crib. Was she going to hurt her baby?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ellie didn’t look at Abby. “Is this your baby? With um, Owen?” she asked, her voice mild.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Abby’s heart was beating out of her chest; she felt like she was going to cry. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t hurt her,” Abby pleaded. She could hear Zoey start to babble and sniff, she was waking up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ellie scoffed, “I wouldn’t hurt a child,” she in an odd voice. Then as if remembering, she added, “I have a little one back home in Jackson. He's with my wife.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The intruder then took a breath and looked up at Abby for the first time, taking her in. Abby wished she had all of her muscles from a year ago in that moment, so she’d seem more intimidating. But even as she was now, she was definitely stronger.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I saw you and your little family today,” said Ellie. “And yesterday too, when I got here. You all seem so happy.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She ran a slender finger along the crib. “Hopefully, Owen’s being a better dad to this one than his other one. Funny story actually, last year Mel and some other ex-WLF’s showed up at Jackson looking for shelter. Apparently your whole organization collapsed.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Abby’s stomach twisted hearing this. “You let ex-Wolves into Jackson?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ellie gave a tight smile. “Yes, believe it or not. Mel brought the baby too, he’s bigger than yours and mine and…” Ellie cocked her head, “A little dull. He seems a bit like his daddy.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Abby tightened her hands into fists, her anxiety was through the roof. Was this girl just here to antagonize her? Did she want to fight? Ellie seemed so relaxed though, it was confusing. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ellie continued on, “Mel’s got a new beau though, so don’t get all jealous. That one at least seems loyal.” Her lips were curled into a smirk.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Enough was enough. “Why are you here?” Abby demanded. “You change your mind and want to kill me? Or you here to sacrifice yourself for the cure or some bullshit?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The cure for this virus. That’s why it all happened. In a way it seemed like such a distant problem when you get wrapped up in family and relationships. Abby was almost living like the old world in this isolated town. So was Ellie and the others in Jackson. Not everyone got that.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ellie tilted her head and hesitated, and the silence was broken by the sound of Zoey starting to cry.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Abby made glancing eye contact between Ellie and Zoey, the tension boiling. Ellie dropped down her arms and took some paces back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Go ahead and take her. I’m not here to fight.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Abby flexed her fingers and then relented, rushing up to Zoey’s crib. She immediately softened up and tried to put on a comforting facade towards her baby, gently picking her up. Abby hushed her and held her close, then taking a few steps back again. She could feel the need to breastfeed come up but she really wasn’t in the right situation to do that right now.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Abby looked up at Ellie, who was watching them intently with an odd, almost sad look. Abby wondered if the baby Ellie mentioned she’d birthed, or someone else had. Maybe she was just missing hers. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Why would she leave behind her family?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“What are you here for?” Abby asked again, in a hushed sharp voice.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ellie shifted her weight and wrung her fingers, half in shadow. “I’m not here to die. And I promised my wife I’d come home. I wanted to see how your operation was holding up. We’d heard about the Fireflies coming back. I thought maybe you’d come back here, see it myself.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When they’d had their private chat at the aquarium, Abby had told Ellie herself about them being Fireflies, about what had happened to her father. Ellie had decided to let them go without fighting, she seemed to understand Abby’s side but she was still obviously upset by what she’d done. Ellie had decided to leave anyways, there had been someone they’d needed to get back to Jackson. Perhaps it was the wife she was talking about.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, you were right. Owen wanted to find the Fireflies and Lev and Yara needed somewhere safe. We got lucky and found them.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah,” Ellie eyed the room, “Nice place. Living comfortably.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Abby rocked Zoey, who had stopped crying. “So were you, I assume. Until you left.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ellie paced the far wall a bit, “I was and I wasn’t. I was okay for a time, I suppose. We got Dina back home, I helped care for her. But especially after Mel and the other WLF’s showed up at Jackson, there would be times I couldn’t get you out of my head. I didn’t know if you were living happily ever after or were rotting in a ditch somewhere. Part of me still wanted to be the one to put you in one.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Abby’s gaze towards the woman was hard, she gripped Zoey as firmly as she could without hurting her. She could run, call for help. Someone would hear and tackle Ellie. They could have her locked and put away so they could question her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>But, no one knew the immune girl from St. Mary’s still lived, that they’d met before, that they’d left that part out of the story.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We never mentioned you to anyone here, so you know. So there’d be no interested parties coming to look for you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ellie ducked her head. “I thought that maybe that was the case.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We don’t even have any doctor here that would know what to do, how to cure it. Make a cure. My dad’s notes are here but it would be a longshot anyway.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ellie picked her fingers, “Hmm. Well, Mel said with your dad’s notes maybe she could try and learn. The thing is…” Ellie walked back up to across from the crib. “We heard rumors up in Jackson about another immune person. They apparently live in Rochester, New York and I-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The slender woman seemed vulnerable now, like she was about to ask her parent for something, and they were afraid of the answer.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I want to go find them. I want to bring those notes back to Jackson and then find this other immune person. They don’t need to necessarily die, I don’t need to either. We don’t know that’s the only way. Even if it is though, maybe we could write some wrongs.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Abby stared at her, taken aback. “You think this person would be more willing to die than you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ellie shook her head, “Maybe. If we had a good shot at it. Two immune people would be better than one, right? We could learn from them, too. And maybe if Mel messes up the first one, I could be the backup.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Abby snorted at the absurdity of it, but maybe she was being truthful. “I suppose. Are you here to get help from the Fireflies?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I wanted to see how they operate, see if that’s worth it. I’ll probably just steal the notes, though. I figure you won’t tell on me because you owe me. I’m pretty much willing to let bygones by bygones now.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Abby let out a breath, she still didn’t fully trust her, but for some reason she was willing to indulge this. “Well you came in with the recruits, I’m sure you can stick around with them for a bit.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Zoey cooed and Ellie’s eyes moved to her, “Maybe you’ll want to come with, if you want. Dina is only semi-supportive, as in she doesn’t want me to die but if I’m dead-set on finding a cure, she’d also rather someone else dies for it.” Ellie paused, “It could maybe help you find closure too.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Abby looked down at Zoey, she couldn’t imagine leaving her. Closure? She had that already, didn’t she? </span>
</p><p>
  <span>But her father’s work, his death, what she’d done. Maybe not.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll have to check my schedule.” Abby said dryly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was the sound of the door opening downstairs. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Shit, Owen was back.</span>
  </em>
  <span> Without even thinking, Abby half dashed from the room and down the stairs, holding Zoey. But it wasn’t just Owen at the door, Lev and Yara were also there closely behind.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Owen grin dropped when he spotted Abby disheveled and troubled, clutching Zoey.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Abby? What's wrong? Did something happen?” He brought his arm in around her and studied Zoey for anything concerning.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lev gasped and moved up to stand in front of them, putting his arms out protectively.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yara also took a defensive stance, facing the stairs. “Is that who I think it is?” she asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Owen gripped Abby’s shoulder and she knew he had then spotted Ellie, standing there casually on the stairs. Abby turned and looked as well with them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, I heard it was your birthday too, Abby.” Ellie said, “Can I be invited to the party?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>
    
  </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>so.... I know it's a bit of a cliffhanger instead of wrapping it into a sweet little package, if you skip the last section I suppose it is, but I wanted to set up like a TLOU 3 style story that could have occurred after this. I probably won't be writing that story though, you'll have to imagine.<br/>Anyways thank you everyone who read and supported, this was the longest thing I've ever written and it was a lot of work but I'm really happy I was able to get down this story I'd wanted to see. I'm gonna keep writing for this game, I've done various snippets of other prompts, I'll either start post those here or on my Tumblr, I'll see. But yeah, thanks for the journey!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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